Shine
by Shivvy
Summary: She couldn't seem to control her thoughts these days. Was it possible she could actually be falling in love? A study of a complicated relationship from the start. A Seras x Alucard production. Chapter one redone!
1. Moments relived

AN: Well I've been meaning to write an Alucard/Seras fic for awhile. So this will be my attempt at one. Thanks everyone who has written for this pairing before me! It really gives me inspiration. I may also be doing a follow up piece including some other characters and pairings if I get positive feedback...

Note: This chapter has been redone! I wanted to expand on some ideas in later chapters, so I had to scrap some things to keep the flow.

Disclaimer: I own Hellsing. That's right, all 13 episodes. I don't however own the rights.

Rating: R for angst and extreme smoochies. Don't like, please don't read.

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Seras woke up, once again to the sight of the dark lid of her coffin bed. The days seemed to be getting longer, sleep her only real refuge from the drudgery of her everyday life. Her everyday life usually consisting of killing freaks and being lectured by her Master. Other than those occasional lectures, she really didn't see him much. It seemed like he really couldn't care less about her. Unless she was underfoot, or refusing to eat.

But sometimes she would think she felt something from him... Something that showed through the hard mask he had perfected over the centuries. She sighed as the lid of the coffin lifted, and she crawled wearily out of bed. Her memories keeping her company for now.

She still remembered the first time she saw him... That terrible night that her life had changed forever. The sky was red as blood from the setting sun, outlining the full moon. That should have been the first clue that it was to be no ordinary night. Her police unit had been called in to investigate a disturbance in the surrounding area. Not any normal disturbance, those kind didn't require a fully armed SWAT team; the kind where people were turning up dead. Lots of people.

Seras had watched in horror, as every member of her unit died before her. They had been the closest thing to family she had at that point. Even if they usually underestimated her, she still cared for every one of them. But she was the only one left... She'd took refuge in that cursed church... Nearly getting killed by that disgusting "priest". But then, he had appeared.

Alucard, her master. Truly she feared him more than the freak that held her at the time. Garbed in blood red attire and grinning maniacally. He seemed far from sane. But he had saved her. No matter what anyone said, he didn't hate humans. If he did, he would have just killed her with that vampire. To this day she wondered why he didn't. Did he see something in her? Or was he really just using her to make _his_ Master jealous? She desperately hoped not.

When he held her blood streaked body in his arms, she had never felt so safe. This fearsome monster who killed dozens of ghouls with a single shot had cradled her like a child. At the time, she wished he would never let her go.

But to this day, he had hardly ever touched her again. Seras ran her tongue over her fangs as she looked at the blood pack sitting on the table. She wondered if anyone ever would. She was not stupid. She saw the looks of fear and disgust she received from the troops. She was one of the creatures of the night that they were trained to kill. How could she expect any less?

As she contemplated sinking her teeth into the blood bag, she wondered if perhaps she didn't regret becoming what she was. But then, she would have never met her Master. Even if he did sometimes ignore her, she would still stay by his side no matter what, even if she wasn't entirely sure why.

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Weeks had passed, with Seras slowly slipping into a state of greater malaise. Alucard pursed his lips as he watched her training. Integra had instructed Seras to keep her distance from the new recruits. Pity, as it was, he quite enjoyed watching their faces after they moved past her chest and noticed her eyes. Foolish humans, they were right to be afraid.

But he had to wonder if she didn't suffer from the lack on interaction. He certainly knew first hand that lack of companionship could drive one mad. He grinned as he watched his dark fledgling blast away at the targets in front of her. It would take awhile for her lingering humanity to fade away. But she had plenty of time.

Times like now, he wondered why he cared so much. Of course she was a pleasant distraction, even if she sometimes became bothersome with her foolish notions. He didn't particularly like to scold her so, but she had to learn if she was ever to become a true Nosferatu. One day, she would be truly fearsome, once she learned to control her powers. He had seen it in her that fateful night. When he glimpsed inside her mind, he had seen... something. He was still trying to comprehend what it was that had drawn him to her. He knew he could have found another way to save her. But something in that brief glimpse had told him he had to make her his own.

Even Sir Integra had scoffed when she realized what he had done, asking him if it was his hobby to bring home female companions. Maybe that was what he really wanted, a companion. It had been so very long since he had even talked to one of his own, aside from as a prelude to their destruction. Perhaps what he really wanted... No, he was being foolish. She was just his servant, to be played with as he saw fit. He grinned as he slid back into the darkness, maybe he would make time to play with her soon.

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Seras ran her fingers through her wet hair, before sliding deeper into the bathtub. She always enjoyed a nice long soak after training. Exactly like she always had after training for the police force. But then she had needed to, to soothe the aches and pains that a good workout caused in a normal human body. Of course she no longer had one of those. But it was one of the little habits that she clung to.

The crimson-eyed vampire submersed herself in the steaming water, reminding herself that she no longer needed to breathe, and stayed there. She opened her eyes, looking through the still rippling surface of the water. Her thoughts again taking a most lamentable path: To her Master.

She was thinking about the first time she had been sent on a real mission. One that actually require she put herself in the front lines. That was the day she had gotten her first taste of immortality.

Her slender fingers ran over the nearly undetectable scar on her throat, where she had been pierced with that blessed blade. She closed her eyes, releasing the last of the air she held in some parody of a sigh. As the bubbles broke the surface she remembered the sharp sting of silver. God it had hurt, but it had hardly harmed her. It was then she had really begun to understand the implications of what she had become.

That fanatical priest had been intent on killing her. At the time it seemed entirely unjust. She was not a monster! She had never bitten anyone, or at that point even tasted a drop of blood. Even as a human she had never had to take a human life. She was never quite what one would call religious, but she fancied herself a good person. But, what was she now?

Seras sat back up, resting her back on the chilly porcelain. The water had temporarily warmed her cool undead body, outwardly emphasizing the change that she had undergone. No pulse beat in her heart, though blood still ran through her veins. She placed her fingers over her chest, feeling nothing but her skin against her fingers. Despite being undead, she still felt like a human. She still had the emotions of one.

Frankly she was just confused as a vampire as she had been as a young human girl. No family to speak of, few friends. She just wanted to fit in, to be accepted and loved. Now it was certain that was the last thing that would ever happen. She would never fit in, and who would love her?

Even her Master... Had he wanted to be rid of her? That same day he had offered her his blood. It had been so tempting. Weak and wounded as she was, it was like she had never seen anything so lovely as that open wound. But no, she hadn't taken the blood. She was not ready to be on her own yet, a true denizen of the night. Her Master was the only one who could understand her now. Clearly she couldn't be expected to be parted from him so soon.

Undoubtedly, Integra and Walter did not hate her; one could perhaps go as far to say they might be fond of her. But she would never be human again, and they would never understand what it was to be a being of darkness.

That day when he had reached out so tenderly to help her up, a sly grin on his face, she had again felt safe with him. But then that priest had attacked once more. She had seen her Master pierced with countless swords, and she had never felt so afraid. Knowing how even one of those blades felt, she could hardly imagine the terrible pain he must have been in. She sniffled slightly as she got out of the bath and toweled off. She was so weak; her Master kept getting hurt to save her. Wrapping a towel around herself, she wondered if that was an indication that he cared for her. She sighed pondering once again if she even knew how she felt. She just knew she never wanted to be parted from him.

"My Master..."

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Alucard slipped through the thick stone walls of the Hellsing manor. He didn't have any particular agenda in mind, he just enjoyed bothering people. After peeking in on his Master for awhile, and finding her only doing paper work, he began to look for someone else to bother. His Master got rather cranky when he interrupted her desk work.

Ah there was Walter, Hellsing's retainer and arms master. Hard at work doing what ever the hell it was he did, which hopefully included making shiny new toys of destruction. He watched him for awhile, and spying nothing of interest he continued on. Walter was one of the few humans he genuinely liked. Not that he would ever tell him that. He quite respected the man. He was as powerful as any creature the vampire had ever met, having taken out enough undead in his day to rival even him. Walter was not called the angel of death for just any reason.

After startling a few troops slipping through the walls, he spied the police girl. She was freshly bathed and attired, walking back to her room. There was certain heaviness around her as she walked through the corridors, as if she were deep in thought. The juvenile vampire had been like that more and more lately. He briefly considered taking a glance inside her mind to figure out what was weighing on her so, but decided against it. Peeking into someone's mind was quite different from peeking in their bedroom.

But still, he hated to see her like this. He wondered if the drudgery of simply working for the Hellsing organization was wearing on her. Alucard being as old as he was was good at making his own fun in any situation. But Seras hardly ever left the manor, aside from the occasional mission. In fact, she barely left her room these days. It was if she was purposely isolating herself.

Hmm, he missed the bright vibrant police girl he had seen that first night. She was not fit for this type of life. Maybe that's why he had tried to release her from his servitude. It had been her choice to become a vampire, but was it her choice to serve both him and Hellsing? Even if he couldn't be a free walker of the night, perhaps he could let her be.

That day, when he had seen her pierced with that cursed blade, for the first time in a long time he had felt sickened. Despite being a vampire, the police girl was very innocent. He hated seeing her hurt, and those blades really DID sting. But as an elder vampire, he had long ago learned to transcend pain. Perhaps one day she would too.

He had so very much to teach her, he thought with a smile. But then, why had he tried to free her so quickly? God knows she wasn't ready to hunt on her own yet. No, there was much work to do where she was concerned. And someday, she would be a great Nosferatu. But first, he would teach her to revel in the violence and death that came with her undeath.

What had she said... "But then you wouldn't be my Master!" With those imploring eyes, how could he refuse her? Was she really so afraid? Or did she just not want to be alone? He pondered over these things as he glided through the walls, watching her. Or perhaps, she had actually grown fond of him. He silently sniggered at that, anything was possible. It wasn't like he completely missed those looks of adoration on her face, though paying too much attention to them could get him into trouble.

Ah but he had forever to unwrap the mystery that was Seras. Starting...sometime soon. He felt the familiar tug of the bond to his Master. She had something for him to do. He gleefully went to answer. Nothing was better to get your mind off things like a senseless game of search and destroy.

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Again days would go by. Seras hardly noted the passing of time much anymore. More missions and bloodshed followed. Walter had made her a wonderful new weapon. The massive halconnen, a monstrosity so heavy and potent she would never have dreamed of using such a thing in her human days.

Now it seemed as if her human life was fading into the back of her mind, and each passing day seemed to change her more and more. It wasn't that she was less human, just more of something else. She felt odd, and she had started having disturbing dreams. Well, some weren't so distressing, but they could certainly get her in trouble if her Master were to ever know.

Seras reddened, thinking about her Master. Certainly she realized she was developing some unsettling emotions towards the man. But still she wasn't quite sure what it was she was feeling.

She had tried to take her mind off things, attempting to befriend some of the people at the Hellsing manor. Most of the troops she steered clear of; they were still rather standoffish with her. But she was starting to grudgingly earn their respect.

But was she really more than a monster? That day when she had watched her Master drink that woman's blood; she wanted nothing more than to join him. Her fangs had ached with the need to taste her warm essence. Her nails had dug so deeply into her palms, and they had nearly bled as she bit her hand.

Even more disturbing, was the urge she had felt to lick the stray trail of blood on her Master's face. She covered her burning cheeks; what kind of foolish things would he call her if he knew?

Seras stilled vividly remembered the terror she had felt then first time she had seen him. She wasn't really aware when the line between fear and attraction had started to blur. At first, it had been almost like a case of hero worship. Seras snorted at this thought. Her Master was not exactly the kind of gallant hero one would find in dollar store romance novels...but he seemed to be a steadying force in her otherwise chaotic life. Even if he did sometimes seem to create that chaos.

Attraction however... Well, she supposed one couldn't deny he _was_ a rather good-looking man... Vampire, whatever. He was so tall; he seemed to tower over her, and that midnight black hair. Seras shivered as she tried to push such thoughts from her mind. But she had always had a thing for tall dark and deadly. Well, maybe not deadly...but you get the point. She quivered as she thought of the contrasting feelings he kept causing in her.

The first time that he had ever really gotten mad at her was after several days of refusing blood. He had cornered her in her room and scolded her...

"Police Girl, why do you persist in ignoring your hunger? You will never become strong if you continue like this," he had asked her in that deadly calm voice of his. Seras was having enough trouble fighting with these strange urges within her; she really didn't need him adding to it. But then she had forgotten her place and lashed out at him.

"It is my business if I want to drink that-that vile stuff. I just can't do it!" she had shrieked at him.

Again deadly calm, he had leveled her with a stare that would send most humans into conniptions.

"It is _my_ business. I am your Master, and you will do as you are told. Now drink," the fearsome Nosferatu had said in a more authoritative voice. He was closer now, holding the blood bag out to her. Even in her state, she couldn't help but back up as he advanced. His presence was overwhelming at times like this.

As he closed in on her like a predatory cat, her conviction wavered for a moment... She reached out for the tantalizing object that he was tempting her with. It would be so easy just to give in. But suddenly, the faces of her dead comrades flashed before her eyes, and she was disgusted with herself.

"No!" she screamed in a fit of blind rage. She lashed out, smacking the blood pack out of his hand, her sharp nails catching on the plastic and tearing it to shreds. A fine splatter of blood covered her hand...and her Master's face.

His answering growl was enough to shake her to her core. What had she been thinking? She backed up a step, coming in contact with the unforgiving stone wall. It was times like this she had some of his abilities.

"Police Girl, you will learn your place." He was right next to her; she could feel slight heat emanating from his body. The look in his eyes was dark...but not angry. He looked almost amused as her slowly wiped the blood of his face and glasses. It had been a long time since someone had acted this way towards him. No one would dare.

His fingers now traced over her face, gathering up the splatters of red fluid off of her pale skin. Seras' eyes went wide as he leaned closer to her; her nerve endings were going wild where he touched her.

"Drink," he said simply. It took her a moment for her eyes to focus on the blood-covered finger he held in front of her lips. It was so tempting. She swayed forward a little as she was mesmerized by his close proximity.

What was he doing to her...? His eyes burned into her, almost like he was hypnotizing her. That must be it she thought desperately.

"No," she said rather weakly this time, every ounce of her will going into resisting him.

Alucard smirked knowingly at her. "Very well, Police Girl. You will give in eventually."

Seras closed her eyes, stilling her whirling mind as his deep voice washed over her. When she finally opened them he was gone. Nothing but a big bloody splat on the wall in his place. '_Better get a bucket and mop,_' was unexpectedly her first thought.

The red-eyed vampire blushed at the memory. It wasn't her fault he had affected her like that! He shouldn't have gotten her so worked up; her nerves were frayed and she was so open to his suggestions. Yes, that was all it was. Seras squirmed a bit uncomfortably, not being able to squelch the thought again that he was rather good-looking. What was she getting into?

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Alucard sat back, his feet propped on the table polishing his beloved guns. This new Jackal was a wonderful compliment to his trusty Casul. He quite enjoyed playing with it. Ah, and what fun he had had watching the police girl use her new weapon. It was bigger than her, yet still she handled it with such ease.

He sighed; for once Hellsing had not been what one would call boring. In fact, as much as he loved exterminating FREAKS, he had to wonder if the situation was getting out of hand. Hellsing had lost many soldiers in the last weeks. It was simply...wasteful.

The ancient vampire wondered what the police girl had thought of all of that. He had sensed her inner tumult and misery as if it hung around her like a cloud. She really would have to learn to better control her emotions one day. Ah, and she was so sensitive to the death of humans.

The times had begun to change around him, just as they always did. When you lived to be as old as he was, you noticed such things as they inevitably occurred around you. Yes, these manmade FREAKS were certainly distressing. Not to mention repulsive, he thought with a sneer. There was hardly anyone left these days worthy of being called vampire.

Sliding a fresh magazine into his gun, he carefully set it aside, and started cleaning the other one. Yes, he had a feeling all of this would be coming to a head very soon. He was ready and anxious to have this done with.

He just hoped the police girl would be able to handle the growing darkness he sensed. She was still such a delicate thing, but just as he protected his Master, he would protect her. He sighed again as he stood up, holstering his guns. It was not healthy to think such things about one's dark children. Long ago, he had learned the worst thing to do as a vampire was to form attachments. He just didn't know if he could stop himself this time.

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Buh buh buh to be continued. Finally got around to correcting a few time line errors. This edit should right the flow of the story


	2. Another terrible night?

Disclaimer: I don't like disclaimers. You know I don't own anything.

AN: All timeline discrepancies have been fixed and the direct quoting has been pared a bit. Also, it's not a myth! Feedback really does make me update faster!

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Once again, Seras found herself staring at the lid of her coffin. She did that a lot lately. Absently she scratched at the lacquer in front of her, debating whether or not to get up. Yesterday had been a particularly trying day. She and the other members of Hellsing had attended a funeral for 125 of their fallen comrades; it had rained, as if the sky was sympathizing with them. Seras closed her eyes; it had been like that first night all over again. But this time, something different happened.

As a fledgling vampire, Seras was not entirely aware of all the things that came with the package, such as blood lust. When she had been surrounded by the dead Hellsing soldiers raised as ghouls, she had trembled with anguish; thoughts of her friends in D-11 flashed before her eyes. She didn't think she could bring herself to fight them. But then something had taken over her when she felt their fetid breath against her. She had snapped.

All she really remembered was a feeling of intense hatred coming over her. Her blood sang in her veins and she had never felt so strong and alive. She ripped them all in to shreds with great glee. It scared her so bad, what was she becoming? She had wanted to hurt them so badly, to destroy them and watch them fall at her feet. When she came out of it, she was weak and trembling with the need to vomit foremost on her mind. She sat there, splattered with former friends' blood covering her.

Perhaps "friend" was too strong a word. But after she had risked her life to save the soldiers in that explosion, they had started to come around. The man she had shielded with her body, she couldn't remember if he too had been torn apart by her.

Walter having gone to attend to Sir Integra, Seras was left unharmed but shaken. Sitting still in the same place, her uniform frayed and bloody; that was how her Master found her.

He looked quite pleased with the results of his own battle, if perhaps vaguely a little disappointed at it lasting such a short time. He was only slightly surprised at finding Seras sitting on the steps, in a dazed state.

"Ah Police Girl, I see you and Walter cleaned up the rest of this trash," he said with a slight smirk. He wished he could have watched her fight.

Seras glanced up at him, his presence steadying her a bit. Her Master always seemed to have a calming effect on her.

"Yes Master. Walter is seeing to Sir Integra right now," she said in a rather soft and slightly strained voice.

He gazed at her thoughtfully, noticing the fire of blood lust still sparkling in her lovely red eyes. Ah so little Police girl was finally starting to enjoy being a vampire. His mind briefly caressed hers, tasting some of the sensations of her first taste of a vampire's true abilities. He was quite proud of her, even if the after effects were not exactly desirable.

"Well done, Police Girl," Alucard said a bit awkwardly. He couldn't help the feeling of needing to praise her. Perhaps to soothe the feelings of unease that radiated off of her.

Seras smiled weakly, her Master's pleasure sinking into her and making her warm all over. It was so rare to hear anything but a taunt for her non-vampireness from him. She felt a little better from it. Alucard reached a hand out to again help her off the cold stone steps. Seras wasn't sure if vampires could blush, but if they could she certainly must be now.

He helped her up, her legs quivered a little as she stood, making her sway a little. She wasn't one hundred percent it was all from the weakness she was feeling. His strong hands steadied her as he looked her up and down.

"Police Girl, you are half starved. Have you been neglecting drinking your blood again?" the elder vampire asked with a slight frown.

Ah, now that sounded like Master. Seras tried to put an innocent look on her face, it had been a few days since she had last broke down and drank some blood. She understood her body needed it, but she tried to avoid it for as long as she could. But after what had happened, she felt slightly sickened at how much she craved it after her little incident.

"N-no Master... That is, I'm just not hungry lately," she tried, but the slight burbling of her stomach gave her away.

Alucard gave an exasperated sigh, and picked her up bridal style, eliciting a small yelp from the blonde.

"M-Master!" Seras was startled as he calmly carried her back to her room. She secretly flushed with pleasure at the rare contact with her sire. But all too quickly, he set her on her feet in front of the door to her room.

"Go in, drink your blood, and get some rest. I have no use for a vampire who wastes all her energy then starves to death," he said with a lightly scolding tone.

She opened the door and walked into her dark cool room. "Yes master..." She tried to keep the disappointment out of her voice. She turned around, wanting to see if her Master would come in, but he was already gone. She frowned slightly as she shut the door.

Seras picked up the blood pack and carefully opened it, not wanting to rip it open like an animal as she had before. She poured it into the bowl and just looked at it. As hungry as she was, she just couldn't see herself eating human blood after what she had just witnessed...and done.

She disposed of the medical blood despite her stomach's protests, and crawled into her coffin to hopefully partake of some deep dreamless sleep. But again, she was haunted with visions of her Master. He was such a cocky bastard, she thought angrily. How could he praise her and scold her in one breath. Didn't he realize what she was going through?

But as hard as she tried, she couldn't be mad at him for long. The feel of his strong arms wrapped around her, and lean chest pressed against her side was all too fresh in her mind.

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The funeral the day before had been a very trying affair. Seras was never much good when faced with death, and it seemed it was all around her constantly now. But she knew she had to be here today. She had never gotten to go to the funeral of her dead comrades from D-11. As technically, she had been listed as dead along with everyone else.

Briefly, she wondered if anyone had grieved for her. She had no family to speak of, never having really known her mother as more than a photograph, and her father had died several years before. As for friends, most anyone she would have called one had perished that day.

Walter had stayed by her side throughout, a constant reminder that she had a least one friend. Seras couldn't bring herself to approach any of the other mourners, still feeling guilty about before. Walter assured her that they did the best they could, and they should be grateful things weren't worse. But as calming as his presence was, she couldn't help but wish that her Master was at her side as well.

When she returned from the funeral, she had thrown herself in her coffin and not come out since. So here she found herself, not being able to sleep and bored out of her mind. Reluctantly, she crawled out of her bed, and movements sluggish she got dressed. Casual today in jeans and a pullover. She knew what she needed to do. Something, anything to remind her of her humanity.

Even though she had been told more or less to not contact anyone from her former life, no one had ever said she couldn't go home. Well, not expressly in those words. But just to be safe, she wouldn't tell anyone where she was going. Pulling a bobble hat over her messy hair, she tip toed out of her room.

She made it as far as the courtyard before she was stopped by Captain Fargason.

"Ah, there you are, Victoria. I was just about to send some one to fetch you," said the middle-aged soldier.

Seras saluted awkwardly, wondering what she had done now. "Yes sir, do you need something?" She just hoped she wasn't busted.

"I need you to go on a mission for me. Dressed as you are is perfect. Consider it undercover."

She gulped, wondering what he could need her to do this early in the day. She normally wouldn't even be up.

"It's a simple search and destroy. I need you to go to this address," he said, handing her a piece of paper and a picture, "and find this man. He's the landlord of the building. It's been confirmed he is a vampire. He shouldn't be any trouble for you."

Seras looked a little unsure, but took the papers and the pistol he offered her.

"Yes sir! I'll return after the target has been silenced!" she said more confidently that she felt. Oh well, looks like she wouldn't be going home today.

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Seras ran down the stairs, she had seen something jumping out the window of the apartment. She cursed silently, it was the third floor. Not quite to the point where she wasn't sure she wouldn't break her legs following, she jumped onto the fire escape instead. Her boots clanged of the metal grid of second floor landing, she wasn't going to lose him. She put her foot on the top rung of the ladder leading down to the street, hands on each side, and slid the rest of the way down. She said something rather unlady like as she hit the payment, having received a tiny slash on her hand from a piece of jagged, rusty metal.

She sucked on the cut as she ran after him, pistol in the other hand as she wondered if vampires still needed tetanus shots. Her feet pounded on the pavement as caught up with him in a narrow alley. She put a bullet in the ghoul turning it to ash. She scared the crap out of a bum sitting against the wall of an apartment building. She wasn't sure if he had pissed his pants, but he sure shrieked and ran like he did.

"The target has been silenced," she said into her headset. She nodded silently as she was told to meet up with the rest of the attack team at the park; the host vampire was on the move. "Yes sir!" As she went on her way, a large drop of rain hit her in the eye. 'Lovely,' she thought.

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Seras crouched down, aiming carefully. The host vampire was fleeing in a car, but this was one situation the police force had trained her for. Deftly she shot out one of the tires, making the car careen wildly and smash into a lamppost. The vampire slumped forward in the seat as she approached. But suddenly, he got up and dove through the smashed windshield. Damn the undead and their tenacity.

"Stop right there!" she yelled as she continued to make chase, breaking out of the alley and into a busy street. Great, couldn't quite shoot him here. Picking up a burst of speed she ran after him, determined to catch him before he... Made it to the subway. He had hopped like a frog. Seras growled, touching her headset.

"This is Agent Victoria. The host has fled into the subway, attacked the passengers and escaped. He got on a train to Queensgate and that the train redirects at Nottinghill, which would make it difficult to contain if he makes it there." If they didn't get him now, God knows where he could end up.

Seras sighed as she was told they were ordering an emergency stop on the train, and to meet up with the attack team at the train station at Nottinghill. She growled and turned back around, brushing past a few angry people who wisely said nothing to the crazy red-eyed girl with the pistol.

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Seras made it to the station just as the attack team did. Apparently, they had already taken care of the quarantine, because other than them the station was empty. Seras steeled herself as they made there way quickly down the dark subway track to intercept the already stopped train.

There was no sound from the subway car; something wasn't right. The hairs on the back of her neck prickled, and she wondered if it was just unease, or if these were her vampiric instincts kicking in. She slid open the doors and was boosted up by one of the soldiers. She crouched down, taking a defensive pose as her eyes darted around.

"Oh my God, it can't be." There he was, lying on the cold metal floor of the car, dead; surrounded by at least a dozen equally dead ghouls. She shivered as she realized they were all impaled with blessed silver blades, and the walls were covered in holy writs. Her throat seemed to close as she gasped, her eyes going dark for a moment as memories flashed through her head. Her fingers clutched at her scar as it seemed to dully throb with pain. Her eyes franticly looked about praying that... The soldier next to her slowly shone his flashlight in the pit dark compartment. Standing in the next door over was her worst nightmare. She screamed, breaking out in a cold sweat. He whipped around as the four men flanking him shouted and emptied their semi-automatic machine guns into him.

"In the name of the Father, the son and the Holy Ghost. Amen," said a deep resounding voice that struck terror in her undead heart.

Four blessed blades flew from his hands, burying themselves deeply in the foreheads of the soldiers. She backed up as he turned and threw another strait at her.

The dim overhead lights of the subway car gleamed off his cold green eyes, and the polished silver of his blades and cross. Seras panicked, backing up she squeezed her eyes shut, trapped as she readied herself to feel the terrible pain she remembered so well; But the pain never came. There was the loud sound of metal being broken, and the firing of a shot. She opened her eyes as part of the broken blade buried itself in the stock of her rifle. Then Alucard materialized beside her, her Master! He had protected her again by shooting the blade! Her heart soared as she looked to him with adoration, thinking that at least he hadn't got hurt for her this time.

"How about a duel to the death, Judas priest?" he spat at him.

"I got tired of waiting for ye vampire!" he shouted with a laugh as he launched several blades at him. But Alucard was ready this time, and neatly sidestepped them. They plunked heavily into a pole in front of him.

"What?!" the fanatic priest shouted, surprised at his speed.

"A dog like you can't kill me," Alucard said evenly, raising his guns and shooting the blades in Anderson's hands, then firing about 5 shots directly into the startled Catholic's chest. He stumbled back into the compartment behind him, disappearing in the darkness.

Seras leaned galvanized against the metal wall of the train car. All she could do was watch. She hated herself at times like this for being so afraid, but she had more faith in her Master than anything. He would protect her.

Alucard stuck his head through the door, looking gleefully around for his prey. That was the last thing she saw as he too disappeared into the car. Seras tried to catch her breath as she heard a shot being fired, and then nothing for a moment.

"Got ya!" she heard that terrible priest cry out as her heart froze. The horrible sound of metal on metal and a terrible crashing assaulted her delicate vampiric ears as she gapped at the bright blue sparks she could see from even back here.

After a moment of hearing nothing but maniacal laughter, she unsteadily made her way towards the front. Discarding her now useless rifle, she pulled out the pistol Fargason had given her.

"Master?" she said softly, stepping forward. There was a distinct crunching sound; she looked down to see what she had stepped on. Her Master's glasses. "Master!" Something flashed through her, and her face changed. She looked quite angry now as she ran forward. No one touched her Master! Her anger however quickly faded to fear again as she was faced with a smirking Anderson.

"This!? Is this thing the ace of Hellsing? Not even in my league," he said smugly as he lifted up Alucard's severed head for her inspection. Seras screamed as he tossed it at her, and she instinctively caught it. There was a sickening plunk as he threw a blade into the head, pushing her back a little with another surprised shriek. Tears in her eyes, she aimed her pistol at him and quickly emptied the magazine into him as he slowly raised the bayonet to strike her. With a cry, she threw herself to the side, bursting out the window as the sword sliced off the tips of her hair.

With a wince she got up off the hard ground, still clutching her Master's head and she ran down the tunnel. When she didn't hear any signs of pursuit, she slowed down a bit, catching her breath. She gently brushed the worst of the glass off that was stuck in her side.

"What am I supposed to do?" she asked herself, making her way back towards the station. "I mean, why am I holding my Master's head?! What am I supposed to do with it?!"

The sound of footfalls touched her delicate ears, and she spun around, bracing herself against the concrete wall.

"Dust to dust. Amen," he said in a deep even voice as he slowly advanced on her. Out of instinct she shakily aimed her empty gun at him, knowing that she was going to die here. But then something miraculous happened. Dozens of black bats swarmed the crazy priest, and she briefly wondered if she could make a break for it. Something warm began to tickle her arms, and she looked down, shrieking as she dropped her Master's melting head. She leaned heavily against the wall, this much surprise was not good for a person.

Slowly the bats started to form together, until once again her Master stood before her. Between her and death. Tears pricked at her eyes "M...Master!" she cried.

"M...Monster!" Anderson said in turn, fear flashing over his face as he backed up a step.

"People say that to me all the time," he said with his trademark smirk. The rest of the battle went fairly quickly with Anderson losing a few limbs, and then disappearing in a swirl of blessed pages with a promise of revenge.

The pages of his holy writs floated through the air like snow as Seras looked a little dumbstruck at what had just happened. Alucard, of course, simply stood there smirking.

"Excuse me Master. Are you alright?" she asked shyly. She would never understand how he could go through what he did and still come out unscathed.

"A dog like that could never kill me. Only a human can truly ever hope to kill a monster," he said with a laugh. "Come along, Police Girl." He turned to her and held out his hand. Seras couldn't help but feel a strange sense of déjà vu as she took it. But this was rather different. She shrieked as he dematerialized with her and reappeared in front of the Hellsing. She didn't think she could ever get used to that feeling. But maybe if she ever learned to do it herself...

Her eyes darted up to his as she realized his arms were still around her. His eyes seemed to spark when they made contact; for a brief instant she just stared into his like a deer caught in the headlights before pulling away. She looked at the ground as they walked in silence into the manor. She could still feel his eyes burning into her skin. She shivered a little as put her hand on his arm and led her back to her room.

Once again, Alucard found himself depositing the police girl at the door to her room. But this time he knew better than to trust leaving her to her own devices. Poor girl, she was nearly traumatized from her brush with the Judas priest. He opened the door and gallantly motioned for her to go in, his eyes following her moves.

She tried to hide her shaky legs by quickly sitting down, but Alucard didn't miss it. He could sense something was wrong with her by the way she had clung to him unconsciously. He nonchalantly sat down next to her, putting his feet up on the tabletop and watching her intently.

Seras started to squirm under his scrutiny. She just wished he would leave her alone so she could strip and clean the pieces of glass out of her side.

"M-Master, will you please stop looking at me like that!?" she said finally.

"Like what, Police Girl?" he asked with a smirk on his pale lips.

'_Like what!? Like you want to eat me!_' she thought with a blush.

"Actually, I was just trying to decide whether or not I'm going to punish you." There was a hint of amusement in his voice. But there usually was when she was concerned.

Seras glanced up wide-eyed, drawing her jacket around her a bit tighter as she wondered what she had done now. There was hardly a time she saw her Master that he didn't think up some reason to punish her.

"F-for what Master?" she asked with a squeak.

"For disobeying me, of course," he said, staring at her intently again. "Did you think I wouldn't notice you haven't been drinking your blood? And before you try and deny it if you had been drinking it, that wound at your side would have already healed."

Seras gasped under her breath. Why had she thought he hadn't noticed? If she could smell the blood on herself, she was sure that he could too.

"I just haven't felt like drinking lately," she lied. She had wanted to drink quite badly recently. She fairly ached with the need for it. But she hadn't wanted to after what had happened before. What if she lost control again? The vampire watched nervously as he got up and went over to her shelves. He pulled off the shiny regulation first aid kit and walked back over to her.

Alucard crouched in front of her, setting the box down. He briefly considered forcing her to let the wound heal naturally, but he decided that some good old fashioned antiseptic would do the trick.

"Take your jacket off, Police Girl," he said evenly, opening the box.

Seras quickly obeyed, wondering what he was going to do. She winced as she pulled off the pink jacket, leaving her in her thin T-shirt. She could see that the blood had already started to well through it. She again wondered why she thought she could hide it. Seras gulped as he pulled out a pair of stainless steel tweezers. He leaned to the side as lifted her shirt up.

His eyes took in the multiple gashes and punctures of various sizes peppering her pale skin. Her skin was already crusting with dried blood. He sighed and brushed his hand over her side. "This may be a little...uncomfortable," he said darkly. Seras gulped and tried not to move. He slid the tweezers into one of the cuts, fishing around for a moment before catching on a fair sized bit of glass. A pained hiss escaped her as he pulled it out, causing the closing wound to reopen again. Things proceeded in this way until there was a small pile of bloody shards sitting on the table next to him.

Seras had broken out in a cold sweat by the time he was done. When her eyes finally focused she realized her fingers were tightly dug into her Master's shoulders to steady herself. She forced herself to look down at him; he was staring at her side with such fierce intensity. Removing all the bits of glass had made the little cuts all bleed profusely again. It dripped down her pale skin like some kind of macabre painting.

Alucard stopped for a moment, transfixed by the site of her blood. He hadn't realized how hungry he was when he started, but all that regeneration was quite tiring. His original intention had been to patch her up and tell her to drink her blood. But now quite different ideas were bouncing around his head.

The blonde vampire tried not to move as she looked at him. He looked so different with his glasses off. He swayed forward a little, and she could feel his breath against her. She wondered if maybe he was going to...

"Master!" she gasped as his warm tongue flicked out, slowly collecting the rivulets of blood and swallowing them with great pleasure. She flushed when she felt one of his hands slide over her thigh to steady him, and unconsciously squeeze it. Her breath came in short bursts as she watched him almost reverently run his tongue over each cut. A wave of heat rolled through her middle at the almost erotic sight. She wondered if he knew what kind of effect he was having on her.

Alucard finished lapping the blood off of her. He made a small noise of pleasure in the back of his throat as he watched her wounds slowly close up. He didn't even realize the way he was intimately touching her, so lost was he in the taste of her. Her blood was just as sweet as he remembered it being the first time he tasted it. He sat back a bit, feeling euphoric as he looked up at her. Taking in her flushed face and glazed eyes, he was suddenly quite aware the effect his impromptu feeding had had on her. He had always suspected she was attracted to him... But the way she was looking at him right now made him want to teach her things a Master vampire usually shouldn't.

Suddenly, he felt almost ashamed of losing control like that. As old as he was, he should be able to handle himself better. He wasn't some randy teenager after all! He snorted under his breath and pulled her shirt back down, then stood back up.

"Drink your blood and rest." He didn't look at her, but his tone was quite serious this time. She knew this was an order and not a request. He turned about and vanished through the wall.

It took Seras a few moments before what had just happened finally hit her. Her Master had just licked her clean! And this time she had been the one staring at him like a big, bloody steak. What he must think of her! She shivered as she still felt the wonderful sensations burning in her body that her Master's touch had awakened in her. Her eyes flicked over to the blood pack on the table. Seras quickly grabbed it and sunk her fangs into it. She drank deeply with a small scowl on her face. She was going to satisfy at least one hunger tonight!

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Well that took longer to write then I thought it would. Actually I had a good bit of chapter 3 written as well, but somehow I managed to loose the document when my computer messed up. Look for ch3 sometime this week for sure. Oh and, once again, reviews really put me in the mood to write if you catch my hint!


	3. How quicky things can change

Well here it is the much (well slightly) awaited chapter of shine! Actually I'm in a pretty bad mood right now because I've already written this chapter. I just lost it to my carnivorous computer. Note that I've taken pieces of both the English and Japanese translation as I saw fit. Call it artistic license.

Disclaimer: No.

Rated R for angst and semi-explicit smoochies (eventually).

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Seras woke up for once feeling strangely content. She stretched languidly in her coffin as she opened her eyes. It had been a long time since she had gotten such a good nights sleep. She sighed and crawled out of her coffin, wincing for a second when her feet touched the cold stone floor. The young vampire slipped into her fuzzy slippers and walked over to the mirror. Running her fingers through her hair, she took in her appearance. The color was back in her cheeks, and the dark circles that had been haunting under her eyes were gone. She turned and looked at her side. Not bad, it was hardly sore at all. She wondered if she owed it to the blood, or her Master's attention to her wound last night. A slight blush colored her face as she gathered up her toiletries.

She slipped into the bathroom, setting down her clothes as she turned on the water. She hopped into the shower, sighing as the warm water hit her back. Ahh, she felt wonderful, no long ponderous baths for her today! She hummed slightly off key as she washed her hair, her thoughts turning to last night. No matter what she did, her Master seemed to be creeping more and more into her mind lately. Especially after what had happened yesterday. It had been terrifying when she thought he had died. When he had reformed in front of her eyes it had been one of the happiest sights in her life. And not just because he had saved her butt from Anderson either. No, she just couldn't imagine what she would do if he wasn't around.

And then... There was the OTHER thing that had happened last night. She lathered up her skin with her lime green shower puff. 'I wonder if Master thinks I'm pretty,' she thought to herself. Her fingers grazed the skin on her side where he had intimately caressed last night. With a sigh, she certainly hoped so. Finishing her shower, she stepped out, slowly toweling off and fluffing up her hair before getting dressed.

She slipped into her standard uniform, blue on blue with white gloves. There hadn't been a day she hadn't worn gloves since she became a vampire. There were too many nasty things she could hurt herself by touching as she had learned. She brushed her hair out until it was dry and slipped back into her room.

She had a few things she had been assigned to do today. The first of which was helping supervise the new Hellsing applicants. Not exactly something she relished, but it could be fun. Seras made her way to the complex testing site on the Hellsing compound. She made sure to give all the soldiers and staff she saw a toothy grin. Secretly, she loved watching some of them skitter away. She wondered if they thought she was looking at them like lunch.

Her little task was fairly easy. She briefed the groups on their little obstacle course and they went to it. Nothing of real interest happened until she briefed one of the very last groups. It was a fairly scruffy lot, and she wasn't sure many of them would be up to the task of upholding Hellsing's strict code.

"...The course is pretty straightforward. Shoot the targets and make your way to the exit," she said, indicating the points on the dry erase board map. "If you shoot a non-target you fail, and the test will end. Any questions?" she finished, just as she had several times already today.

"Yeah," said one of the scruffy looking men near the front. "I hear there's a real vampire in this unit. Is that true?" he asked with a condescending tone.

Seras gave him her much-loved fangy smile that she had picked up from her Master as she walked towards him.

"Oh, I think there is something wrong with your gun," she said sweetly. The man looked down curiously. Seras calmly reached out and bent the thick steel barrel into a clean right angle. "See? It's bent! You better get a new one or you'll miss your chance to test!" She smiled sweetly as the men straitened up, mumbling as they all took a collective step back from her.

That would teach them to imply she wasn't a "real" vampire. A small part of her wondered when it had gotten so fun to tease humans. Had she been so easy to scare?

After the testing was over, she gratefully made her way back to her room to change. Today by God she was going home. She was up rather early, so it was still light out. Hopefully no one would be looking for her till later if they needed anything more. But just in case she would be stealthy today. She grabbed the pistol Fargason had given her and loaded it with a fresh clip. One never knew what one might face in London these days.

Ready, she poked her head out the door, looking around as covertly as she could to see if the coast was clear. Silently she stalked down the hallways, jumping from shadow to shadow. This was fun, she thought. She could see why her Master was always skulking around scaring people. If she hadn't wanted to get caught she might had been tempted to say boo to a few of the house staff.

This time she made it all the way to the gate without incident. The guard there just smiled at her as she passed. 'Good boy, don't poke the vampire,' she thought with a smile. She started to whistle as she made her way down the sidewalk. She briefly considered taking the subway to her old place, but immediately decided against it. No, she was pretty sure she would keep her distance from those for awhile. Besides, it was a lovely day. The sky was nice and cloudy as was usual for London, so the sun hardly bothered her. She sighed happily as she walked home.

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Seras grabbed her extra set of keys, and went over to the complex's neat row of mailboxes. She bent down to insert the key and open it. She let out a small gasp when she saw the plethora of letters and parcels. She gathered then up and hurried to her flat.

Opening the door, she quickly set her load on the nearby couch before stopping to look around. Just like she remembered it, the faint smell of cheap wood furniture and stale potpourri hung in the air. She quickly opened a window to let in a little fresh air. Home.

Giving the place a cursory glance she realized it was just as it always had been. Nothing had been moved, although a bit more dust than usual had settled. Even though it felt like a lifetime away, it hadn't been too terribly long since she had been here.

Even though she had been living here for several months she had never made friends with any of her neighbors. The odd hours that the special police force had called for gave her a very chaotic schedule. No one really paid much mind to her coming and goings. She wondered if any of them even knew she was "dead", supposedly buried and gone. 'It really doesn't matter,' she thought. After all, she had a six month pre-paid lease on this place, dead or not.

Deciding to follow her usual routine, she made for the kitchen. Putting the kettle on the stove, she rummaged around in the fridge. Some old oranges, eggs of debatable freshness, a bit of slimy lunch meat, and some cottage cheese that just might have been milk. Yep, this was her fridge alright. As much as she loved to cook, she rarely had time to eat in back in her 'human days'. She sighed and tried the freezer. Ah, steak and kidney pies, her favorite. She opened up one of them and popped it in the toaster, feeling strangely nostalgic.

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Seras sat down at the old dinner table with her pie and tea. She just looked at it for a few moments before letting out a deep sigh. Her eyes flicked over the various pictures on the adjacent table; mostly ones of her and her Father.

"I'm sorry, Daddy. Look's like I can't eat these things anymore," she mumbled to the pictures. "I finally made it into the police force...but...now..." What could she really say to her dead father? She wondered if he already knew what she had become. She was startled out of her contemplation by a sudden gust of wind. The curtained flapped wildly against the sill and the glass rattled ominously. She quickly jumped up and moved to close the window as a few errant leaves blew is.

For a few moments she stared out the window, the hairs of the back of her neck prickly. Had that...had that somehow been a sign from her father? Again she was startled, this time by a sharp rap on the door. Seras nearly jumped out of her skin as she spun towards the door.

"God...Daddy?" she whispered. Quickly she pushed the foolish notion out of her head. 'Stop being silly, Seras,' she chided herself as she silently slipped across the room. Flipping off the light switch she pressed her back to the wall, pulling out the Walther PPK she had wisely chosen to bring.

"Who is it!?" she called, her voice wavering imperceptibly.

"Please let me in. I've come a long way to find you, Seras Victoria," said a slightly cultured male voice. Her eyebrows shot up as she desperately tried to place it. Her curiosity got the best of her, and she cracked the door open. She locked on the face, a rather non-descript middle aged man with graying hair. Instantly, her mind flashed back to the MI-5 agents who had told her to shoo. Her eyes narrowed.

"How did you find me?" she said stepping back a bit. Still on the defensive as she let him in to the foyer.

"Investigating things is my business, as you well know."

"Actually I don't know anything about you," she said curtly.

"Ah, pardon me. My name is Harry Anders of M-I 5. But please just call me Harry."

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Seras stared out the window watching the sidewalks absently. After exchanging "pleasantries", she had finally gotten "Harry" to get to his purpose. Without giving her any specifics he had told her he had somewhere she needed to go. Part of her wanted to refuse. But he seemed a decent enough fellow, and his mention of having known her father piqued her interest. Especially after what had happened early. Maybe this WAS a sign from him.

They pulled up to a rather secluded area in one of the better parts of town. The buildings were old, and surrounded by trees. They parked and walked over to a majestic old brownstone on the far side of a neat largely spaced row of houses. As they approached Seras' eyes flicked onto Harry checking his gun. On instinct, she immediately pulled out her pistol.

"You won't need that," he said matter-o-factly. "I have to look out for myself, not having all the advantages of non-humans," he said with a wry grin. She raised an eyebrow at him, but said nothing as she holstered her gun.

They walked over to the door; it was old hardwood with a thick brass door handle. He rapped lightly on it.

"Miss Helena? This is Agent Anderson of MI-5. I'd like to talk to you." Silence greeted him. "I'm sorry to disturb you. I just need to ask a few questions, really," he said, sounding sincerely apologetic. Slowly the door creaked open, and they entered. The place was a bit eerie at best. It was dark and full of old wood and books. Golden light spilling onto the floor from countless candles. The air smelled faintly of the must of old books ands beeswax from the old fashioned tallow. The air was filled with the soothing strains of opera. Seras looked around wide-eyed, not sure what to make of a place like this.

"Normally I don't entertain guests, you well know," said a soft, almost ethereal voice.

Seras' eyes snapped over across the room, trying to take in the site of the strange little girl sitting there. She was small and delicate, and incredibly pale; she reminded the blonde of white lily. The candle light reflected off her eyes, Seras wondered for just a moment if it was the trick of the light that seemed to make her eyes shine gold.

"It was very smart of you to bring this girl to hide behind," she said with the barest hint of a smile. It hit Seras like a ton of bricks, this strange little girl...

"Wait... She's...you're a vampire," she nearly whispered. Helena's lips again quirked up.

"You have not been one of the night for very long." She got up from the old easy chair that looked huge in comparison to her. Her feet making no sound as she walked with a fluid grace over to Seras. She looked up at her, her gaze intent.

"You are a wonderful age. Were you reborn through carnal means? Or have you yet to know the pleasures of a woman?" Her soft lilting voice held a teasing air.

Seras looked a bit dumbfounded at this little girl before her. She seemed an incredible contrast, poised and intelligent in that tiny body. She couldn't help but ask...

"Miss Helena, you are... Well... I mean, when did you become undead?" she stammered.

"A long time ago," the pale vampire said tiredly.

"And you have always been just as you are now?" she asked, shocked.

"Yes, just as I am right now. Now and forever," she said with that same imperceptible smile, but she also sounded vaguely sad. She turned her burning amber gaze on Harry. "I'm a private and not a threat. Why do you bother me?" she asked in a much sharper tone when she spoke to the man.

Harry proceeded to apprise her of the current situation of the artificial freaks popping up over the world. Seras wasn't really listening, she was lost in thought. She...she couldn't imagine being trapped as a child forever...

"...Miss Seras Victoria is a member of the Hellsing organization," she heard him say. Her head snapped up as a panicked look overtook her. Helena turned around; her fierce glare pinned on Seras now.

"I've only killed...that is to say. I've only exterminated those artificial freaks he was talking about. I've never..." she desperately tried to explain. She had a feeling this small girl could easily kill her without batting an eye.

"Do you have any idea how many of my friends Hellsing had killed?" she said flatly.

"I...I'm sorry," Seras could only think to say.

"That apology is not yours to give," she said, advancing on her. Seras tried not to flinch as she reached one small delicate hand out to her, holding it over her unbeating heart. She felt a curious tingling, almost like butterfly wings brushing over the edges of her mind. Before she could really identify it, it was gone.

Helena stepped back, looking at her again. "Oh, I see. You were sired by the one who is being kept by Hellsing." Her voice was almost teasing again.

"Are you talking about my Master?" Seras asked, wide eyed.

Helena smirked knowingly. "You are very fortunate, Seras Victoria."

Seras stood there, contemplating what she could mean as Helena and Harry continued to talk about the freaks...

"If you could ask around... I have a feeling there is a traitor in the ranks of your commune," the MI-5 agent was finishing.

Seras could almost feel her exasperated mental sigh.

"We vampires have no such 'communes'. We are each separate individuals. Free from land and religion, and all types of human bondage." For some reason, Seras felt this was being aimed at her...

Helena sat down with a weary sigh. "But eternity is tiring... I have no wish to be disturbed by this growing problem. These artificial vampires could very well be a danger to my kind..." She paused for a moment, as if in thought. "No matter how far the science of man advances, one can never create something from nothing... Think back to the beginning... The seeds of life that sprung from the primordial ooze... They must have something to base their work off of. They must have an original vampire."

Seras was quite surprised that someone as seemingly secluded as this strange vampire would have so much insight into what was going on; when a moment ago she had seemed to know nothing about any of it.

"You must find this traitor to our kind," she said simply, now looking at Seras again. "Now if you would excuse me, I grow weary of this talk. Good evening, Miss Victoria, Mr. Anders," she said curtly. This was clearly their cue to exit.

As they made their way to the door, Seras again felt the tickling at the back of her mind. She turned around and looked at the strange vampire-child. Something in her gaze told her that Helena was trying to give her a much kinder goodbye. Seras gave her a tentative smile before walking out. As she shut the door, she heard the soft whisper in the back of her mind, 'Come visit me again, Miss Victoria.'

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The drive back was much different from the drive there. There was no uncomfortable silence, or since of foreboding.

"She seems so lonely," she mumbled half to herself. Harry Anders smiled kindly at her.

"I want to thank you for coming. I'd like to return the favor, take you out to eat..." he trailed off. Something in his tone made Seras feel like blushing.

"Thanks, but you don't have to worry about it," she said, remembering the early incident with the food. There was a few seconds of silence as they both just watched the road.

"So, I've heard you don't drink fresh blood," he said, trying to sound casual.

"Just medical blood," she answered, equally casual. She felt his eyes on her for a moment.

"Christ... If I was 20 years younger," he mumbled, his voice slightly low.

Seras gasped softly, realizing the implications of what he had said. He had almost... Offered to allow her to feed off of him. For some reason the thought of someone willingly offering their blood...was almost like a lover's invitation to the vampire's ears. From what she had gathered, a vampire's bite could be an incredibly erotic experience for both parties. Seras squirmed uncomfortably as flashes of watching her Master drink that woman's blood came to her.

Oh God, was she getting aroused by the thought? Her eyes flicked over to the man. He really wasn't bad looking, strong features, carried himself well. She had no doubt that if he WAS 20 years younger she would take him up on his offer. She blushed and looked out the window.

They pulled up close to the Hellsing compound. Seras smiled nervously as she slid out of the car, she could feel his eyes on her again. Perhaps secretly she was happy with the rare attention. These days, men seemed to look at her with fear and disgust. Thinking that perhaps she had made a new friend today, Seras said a friendly goodbye. She gave him a charming smile and a wave as he drove away. Turning back towards the way of the manor, she started to walk off...

The horrendous sound of an explosion slashed against her delicate ears. She spun around, just in time to see the hellish show of Harry's car being blown to bits. The twisted flaming pieces of metal fell to the ground in an imitation of some kind of macabre rainfall. Seras broke out of her trance, drawing in a breath of forgotten air.

"Harry!" she screamed, terrified.

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Seras tossed and turned in her coffin. Waking up in a cold sweat for the second time that day. She felt like crying, but her head ached so badly and her eyes were so swollen she doubted she could get anything more out.

Why did these terrible things keep happening around her? Every time she started to fit in... To maybe make a friend or find some peace... Something like this happened. A thought in the back of her mind nagged at her, wondering if this time she really was the cause of this death. Was that explosion meant for her?

Seras whimpered as she rolled over on her side. She suddenly wished for the reassuring feel of her Master's strong arms around her. It seemed the one constant in her life was also the most inconsistent. She...she just wished...

"Master..." she whispered almost pleadingly as her thoughts trickled off into oblivion, sleep taking her tired body once again. Seras never noticed the red eyes that opened on the lid of her coffin, and stared at her for several moments.

Alucard slid through the thick wood, materializing for a moment beside her. He wondered if the police girl realized she was calling out to him in her sleep. He frowned as he absorbed her anguish through their empathic link. Unbidden, his hand seemed to extend on its own, trembling as he reached to touch her. He finally gave in and lightly caressed her hair.

Even deep in sleep, her Master's presence fortified her. Unconsciously, she moved into him, her face nuzzling his hand with a soft mewl. After that, she seemed to slip into an easier rest.

Alucard let out a shaky sigh as he forced himself to pull away. Things could get bad if they continued on like this. He had to get out of here before he did something he regretted again.

He dematerialized through the lid of the coffin. But he couldn't resist giving her mind just the softest of mental caresses, almost unconsciously. As he left, Seras again turned over in her coffin, letting out a soft sigh as her dreams turned to much more pleasant thoughts.

"Master..." she murmured again. But this time it was more of an endearment than a plea.

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Phew, that one took a little while to write. I toyed with some ideas for a few days, and ended up scrapping what I wrote and redoing it all.

I'm kinda saddened I haven't gotten much positive response yet, but I suppose it is early still. It's just kinda hard for me to write when it feels like no one is reading it ; so if you would be so kind as to leave a lil review, you would make my day. Not to mention make me update faster! hint hint


	4. Dreaming of you?

A/N: Wow I'm blown away by all the reviews I got for chapter three. I guess I quilted you all good! Hehe, it was a really nice bday present (19 as of 9/11) to log on to find an inbox full of reviews! So I've decided to get right on writing chapter 4. So here ya go! Well actually I had this written VERY quickly, but I was hunting for a beta. I didn't want to post it before I got one this time.

Disclaimer: Again, no.

Warnings: None really...yet. But it has come to my attention that maybe I should be marking spoilers. Oh well.

Thanks: Very special thank you's to my beta readers Nepenthe and Neko Youkai. And another big thanks to Princess Destiny (Alyndrya) for being such a source of inspiration and support.

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It was late afternoon, but the sun was mostly obscured by the swirling gray fog that was a part of everyday life in England. Seras forced herself not to look down towards the ground; it would just make her dizzy. No matter how many times she flew in a helicopter it always made her uneasy.

They had received a tip that an old abandoned castle on the English country was a power base for a group of vamps. Hellsing's still relatively small attack teams were quickly dispatched. So this is where Seras found herself; crammed in a fast flying whirly bird next to part of her squad.

Seras hummed absently as she tried to ignore the soldier sitting next to her with his thigh pressed intimately against hers. That wasn't bad, but she was having a little trouble ignoring the covert glances he kept giving her chest. Anything she could have said would have been swept up by the sound of the chopper, so she settled on pining him with an icy glare and a fangy grin. He quickly straightened up with a flush and found somewhere else to stare. God that was fun.

They started their descent a few minutes later. Seras couldn't help peering out the window in fascination. Her stomach dropped a bit as she saw the great stone castle materialize out of the mist, like some ghostly apparition. She cleared her throat as her fingers unconsciously dug into the metal of her halconnen. And she was afraid she would be bored today.

They set down, two other helicopters landing in tandem a dozen feet away. The slowing propellers of the beastly choppers made the grass ripple wildly as they filled out.

"Attack team alpha, secure the perimeter, then cover the exits," Started the commander in a deep, sure voice. "Team bravo, you're the front. Head in and hold your position. In the name of her Majesty the Queen, amen."

"Amen." Most of the soldiers echoed. Seras was still surprised that many of the new recruits were not even Christians, but desperate times...

Then they were off. Seras, being the leader of her squad lead the way. She hoisted her weapon onto her shoulder, its familiar weight both comforting and reassuring. The sound of heavy boots on stone floors echoed in the high ceiling room, desecrating the eerie silence. They fanned out, covering the various side doors and hallways. Seras slowly walked up the main steps. Something...wasn't quite right. The place seemed totally deserted, but something was nagging at her.

Attack orders weren't being given. That was the first clue things weren't going as planned. The second she would suppose, was the order to pull out several seconds later. Apparently Hellsing's authority had been superceded; they were no longer in charge of this operation.

The rest of the troops broke off and ran out. But the young vampire stayed where she was at the foot of the steps. What was this feeling...? Almost like a tickling at the back of her skull that seemed to set her warning sirens blaring. There was something here.

'Your senses are getting sharp, Police girl' the all too familiar voice whispered teasingly in her head. Seras just stared at him, attempting to look bored as he materialized next to her. She didn't like giving him the satisfaction of startling her every time.

"The battle we are about to enter will be like nothing we've seen before," he wasn't looking at her as he spoke. "Prepare yourself." Her eyes followed his, focusing on the splash of sunlight from the cross shaped window over the steps. She shook her head as she could have sworn she saw something that wasn't there.

"You sound like you're having fun." She murmured.

"Oh I am." Alucard assured her happily, before breaking out in his much used maniacal laugh. Seras couldn't help but shiver as it echoed off the ancient stone walls around her. She let out a shaking sigh as she felt his presence ebb away. It was always the same when he was around. He flabbergasted and fascinated her at every turn. She would never understand him.

Finally she tore herself away, she had to run to catch up with the quickly boarding troops. She caught sight of Sir Integra as she got into her private helicopter. She hardly made note that she looked rather pissed; but then, she usually did.

The flight back was blissfully uneventful. The soldier from before wisely chose to sit on the other side of the heli. In fact he was still giving her little glances...But they seemed more fearful than anything now. Seras smiled charmingly at him. Making him squirm and look out the window. She chuckled silently, humans were so easy.

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Seras trudged back to her room. She carefully propped her trusty halconnen against the wall before plopping down on her bed fully clothed. She let out a deep sigh as she closed the lid. All this being up in the day was starting to get annoying. Didn't they realize vampires slept now? She turned over on her side, her slightly sweaty clothing clinging damply to her skin. She grumbled and hit the switch for the lid.

"I need a bath." She said to no one in particular as she trudged back out of her room. Half way down the hallway something slashed through her mind like a spear of light. The vision of a pale body lying across a pool of light. Seras took a deep breath and shook her head. It was gone so quickly she wasn't sure if it had really happened.

A flash of movement quickly distracted her. A lovely young girl was climbing the adjacent steps, full skirts swaying delicately as she walked.

"That's Laura, Miss Integra's little sister." Said a voice to her left. Seras jumped with a small shriek.

"Walter! You scared me half to death! W-well you know what I mean. I may be undead but I still don't like being startled!" Seras rambled on for a moment. She was still more than a little on edge from these weird feelings, and if her heart could beat she was sure it would be doing a rapid staccato. "They don't even look alike," She began her rambling again after a short breath. "Well I suppose those things can happen. You never know... With high profile families and such, for all I know she could be..." She was interrupted by

Walter's startled gasp. She looked on round eyed as he clutched his chest and bent forward slightly.

"I'm not as young as I used to be," He said with an apologetic smile. "If you'll excuse me, I think I need to go." He bowed slightly, and then hurried up the steps.

Seras looked around a bit nervously. Something wasn't right. She closed her eyes and tried to focus her mind. Another flash of light speared through her brain. "Sir Integra!" She gasped, finally realizing the feeling was another undead beside her or her Master. She took the steps two at a time as she wondered how it could have been masked so well.

She was almost to the door before she noticed Walter barring her way. "Please don't disturb Miss Integra." His voice sounded sharper than usual.

"I-I have to!" Seras tried to tell him as she started forward again.

"I can't allow you to interrupt Sir Integra!" His eyes flashed with green fire as his fingers deftly flicked a single steel filament wire across the room. Seras wasn't sure what had happened, until she felt the telltale trickling of blood on her cheek. She instinctively backed up.

"Stop it," She said pleadingly. "Walter? Please wake up!" This wasn't him! The thought kept echoing in her mind as she pulled out her pistol. She tried to aim it at him, but her hands were shaking so badly she doubted she could hit him even by accident.

With a cruel grin he advanced on her, his wires flying from his fingers like an extension of his body and easily trapping her gun. With a slight pull he sent it skidding across the stone floor. He was toying with her she knew, she had seen him fight; and if he wanted it she would already be dead. Gently, almost like a lover's caress the steel threads wrapped around her neck. Everything seemed to slow down in those few seconds. She was going to die, and her Master wasn't here to save her this time.

The thought of her Master brought her out of her shock. Even If she couldn't bring herself to fight him she wasn't so worthless as to just lie down and die. Her fingers slipped around the wires as they tightened. She used every bit of her strength fighting their strangle hold back as her eyes began to water with the pressure. Despite her best efforts she was losing. The filaments dug into her gloved fingers, cutting them deeply as her blood ran down them like a melting icicle. 'Master' was the thought that echoed in her head as her vision tinged black.

But then, with the sound of a gunshot Walter seemed to be instantly released. The wires loosened and he fell back. After a moment he sat up and shook his head; the bloody silver strands still crisscrossing the floor in front of him.

"What was I doing?" He asked in a very confused voice.

Seras quickly pushed herself to her feet, dashing past the dazed butler towards Integra's office. That was where the sound of the shot had come from her brain dimly registered. Her bloody fingers gripped the door handle, and she suppressed the hiss of pain as she flung it open. Just in time to see...

Sir Integra was standing in the middle of the room, body smeared with blood. Alucard was a few feet away; standing in front of the dusty remains of the vampire she had heard him kill a moment before. But Seras was too late. Before she could say a word Sir Integra lifted the thin letter opener she clutched in her hands.

"There is impure blood in my veins." She said with a tone of unmistakable loathing before plunging the knife into her neck. She dropped to her knees, before falling forward onto the plush rug.

Seras' field medicine training kicked in. She dashed over to her, sliding to her knees she gingerly turned her over on her side so she could look at the wound. It wasn't deep, but it may have pierced a vital artery.

"Master! Go get help!" She yelled as she carefully tried to staunch the flow of blood. The look he pinned her with sent her skittering back a bit as he walked over, and calmly picked up his Master. With hardly a glance at Seras he disappeared with her. No doubt taking her to the infirmary faster than anyone else could.

Seras tried to shake off the feeling of jealousy at seeing him carry her like he had her before. This was no time for such petty thoughts. She got up and started running back for the door.

"Miss Police girl?" Walter asked, still more than a little befuddled.

She didn't stop running as she called to him. "Sir Integra has been injured!" Was all she said as her feet ate up the ground in front of her. She couldn't stop the tears that leaked from her eyes. She needed to do something...Anything to help! She had to show her Master she wasn't worthless, even it she hadn't been able to protect Hellsing's heir.

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Seras stopped for a moment to catch her breath as they finished setting up the impromptu operating room. A specialized surgeon was on his way at that very moment, as they weren't sure if it was wise to move Integra in her precarious state. She was in critical condition, and had lost a lot of blood.

The young vampire tried to busy herself with something, anything to keep her mind off of what was happening. She was quite relieved when the surgeon finally arrived (it had only taken a few minutes by helicopter) and they prepared to operate. She was a bit surprised they let her and Master stay and watch; but she didn't imagine anyone wanted to tell Alucard to shoo.

Her eyes were blurred from exhaustion and unshed tears. She refused to give into her urge to start bawling while her Master stood only a few feet from her. Even in her state she could feel the tenseness radiating off of his body. For the first time since she had met him, he seemed genuinely upset. She snuck a glance at him, nothing in his stony expression gave it away; it was simply that she could feel it.

She wanted to reach out to him so badly. Her body screamed at her to just touch him, let him know that she was there for him. Her hand reached out slightly before she stopped herself. No...Master was in his own world now. She might as well not exist. Finally she couldn't hold it in any longer. She turned around and ran out of the room as fast as she could. She just prayed he didn't see the tears starting to slide down her face. But she doubted he had even noticed her leave.

She didn't even realized where she was running to. She just had to get away. So this is how she found herself in Hellsing's private garden. Thankfully it was deserted at this time of night. Seras gratefully sunk down on a soft patch of moonlit grass and let the hot tears fall.

In that stark white operating room, suddenly she was a little girl again watching her father being carted away to the ICU. Seras was there again, in that tiny waiting room, waiting for the news that he was going to be ok. But it had never come. That day she lost her Father and her world, and once again she found no comfort in her tears.

"Miss Victoria?" The soft inquiring voice broke through her veil of misery.

She glanced up, recognizing the gentlemanly form silhouetted by the moonlight immediately. "Walter?" The word came out as little more than a croak; her throat was sore from crying and nearly being strangled by the man in front of her.

"May I?" He asked as he walked over to her, indicating the spot of grass next to her. She mutely nodded before he sat down. Now," He began looking up at the sky "What are you doing outside in the middle of the garden crying your eyes out?"

Seras' lower lip quivered slightly as she fought not to start up again. "I-I've never been much good at times like this." She answered lamely. She couldn't even begin to explain the tumult her mind was in right now.

"Do you mean Miss Integra?" He asked, gently putting a hand on her shoulder. "You needn't worry about her. I've known her for a very long time. Let me tell you, I've never met a woman with a more indomitable will. She won't let a little scratch deter her for long." He assured her in a tone he hoped was surer than he felt.

Seras unconsciously leaned into the warmth of his body; the simple gesture having calmed her considerably. But how could she tell him everything that was really bothering her? How could she say that the fact her Master had saved Integra, and not her was tearing at her heart? She tried to tell herself that by killing the vampire that had been controlling Walter he had indeed, if inadvertently saved her. Wasn't that enough? But why shouldn't it hurt that he hadn't even spared her a glance when she had almost died seconds before?!

She suddenly realized she was crying again. But this time she was leaning into a warm body, a strong arm wrapped around her shoulders. She finally focused in on his murmured words of comfort when she heard her Master's name.

"...Don't pay any attention to Alucard... He has always ignored most everyone like that... Would be crazy not to notice a beautiful girl like you..." He stopped when she realized she was no longer crying, but was looking up at him with wide sparkling eyes. "Ahem." He quickly straightened up, reddening slightly when he realized she had actually been listening to him.

Seras let her hair fall into her face to try and hide the blush that was creeping into her cheeks. Was she really so obvious in her feelings to everyone but her Master? Or maybe he realized but just didn't care... She peeped up at Walter, and noticed he was also blushing a bit. She had never really noticed what a handsome man he was, and apparently he found her beautiful.

"Thank you Walter." The former police girl said softly as she sat up on her knees. He cleared his throat again before looking over at her. Even with her face puffy from crying and splattered with blood she was still breath taking.

Covered in blood? Yes that's right. He had almost forgotten what had happened earlier. Had he really almost... "I'm sorry for..." He started, not sure how to apologize for almost murdering someone.

"No, it wasn't you." She said softly with a shake of her head. Then suddenly he was leaning forward, his gloved fingers gently touching her face. She froze for a moment, wondering if he was going to kiss her before she realized he was just dabbing at the blood on her cheek. "I had...better try and get some rest." She said lamely as she looked up at the sky, it was nearing dawn.

"Of course. You have had a hard day. Worrying yourself into sickness will only make matters worse." He rose to his feet with a slight creek of his joints before reaching down to help her up. She gratefully accepted his hand, trying not to note how warm it felt in hers as she stood.

"Good night Walter." She mumbled, not looking at him as she brushed the grass off of her skirt.

"Good night Seras." He answered. The butler gave her a wry smile as she ran off. My if he was 20 years younger and sure Alucard wouldn't murder him just for the thought...

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Seras made her way back to her room; feeling much better after her little 'chat' with Walter. He was right; Master was always like that to everyone. Besides, she could never stay mad at him for more than a few hours, no matter how hard she tried. And really it was her fault for always being too much of a wuss to talk to him!

A familiar feeling tickled her; one that she had come to identify as meaning her Master was nearby. Excitedly she walked over to a nearby veranda to find him standing near the railing, looking out at the stars. She almost called out to him, before she noticed the form next to him. A few feet away sat a visibly pale and weakened Integra. Seras bit her lip, realizing she was intruding on a very private moment. She tried to hold back her suddenly reforming tears as she spun around and ran the rest of the way to her room. She never noticed the eyes that followed her as she made her exit.

"What did you do now Alucard?" Integra asked in a voice that was barely above a whisper. Even that little pained her right now.

Alucard had the decency to at least look surprised when he replied, "Why nothing at all Master." And just maybe that was the problem.

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The door slammed shut with a resounding 'thump'. Seras let out a snarl and threw herself on her bed. She tried to slow her breathing and calm down. Part of her realized she had no right to feel this way; it was Integra who had almost been killed after all!

She looked down at her hands, noting their messy, bloody state; perhaps that bath was in order now. For what felt like the tenth time today, she dragged herself out of bed and gathered her toiletries before heading for the door.

Thankfully the halls were all but deserted tonight. Seras didn't think she could handle being glared at by the house staff right now. Silently she padded down the hallway, her footsteps being absorbed into the thick rug lining the hallway. She stopped in front of the bathroom, looking around before slipping in with no more than a click of the door.

Seras turned on the water in the great bathtub and set about preparing for her much needed soak. She sighed heavily as she lit a few candles and placed them around and squirted a healthy amount of bubble bath in the tub. Just once she wished she could bathe without having to be covered in blood first.

As she pealed off her uniform she felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. She shivered, thinking it was just the cool air and finished undressing. Slowly she slipped into the porcelain tub, moaning in pleasure as the warm water enveloped her aching body. As the water settled around her neck she let out a hiss of pain, the raw abrasions on her neck stinging at the contact. She settled on leaning against the back of the tub and just soaking.

Seras closed her eyes, her thoughts quickly wandering as always. She was just so tired however, and the water so warm; she quickly dozed off...

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The candles dimmed and flickered, and the room grew dark for a moment. Seras mumbled and lazily opened her eyes. It seemed the water had grown slightly cold against her skin. She started to rise when that familiar tickling warned her that might not be the best idea. She sat back down into the water, her eyes flicking around the room. "Master?" She said questioningly.

"Yes Police girl?" Answered his unmistakable voice. Seras looked up and realized he was behind her, looking down. She stared at his upside-down face for a moment before shrieking and sinking deeper into the tub with a splash.

"M-Master!" She cried with a deep blush, "W-What are you doing here?" He grinned widely at her as his eyes flicked over her barely concealed body.

"You wanted to...see me? Police girl?" He asked her teasingly. Seras squirmed and tried to sink deeper, ignoring the twinge of pain at her neck as the water covered it.

"Master...I don't know what you..." She was swiftly silenced when his hand slipped around hers, carefully turning it over to inspect it.

"Neglecting ourselves are we?" He said darkly as he stared at the deep cuts on her fingers. His gloved fingers pulled her forward to get a closer look, forcing her to sit up in the bath so that her breasts were barely covered by the water. "Do you know why these aren't healing?" He asked seriously. Seras just shook her head. "Silver-steel alloy, I would have thought you'd have recognized the feeling." His eyes went to her neck, where the thin scars still remained.

Seras' breath caught in her throat as he took her hand to his mouth, his tongue snaking out and flicking over the deep notches. Her head swam as the feeling of him cleaning her wounds again sent her reeling. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the warm tingling sensation of his close contact, and her wounds slowly closing.

The strawberry-blonde vampire whimpered when she felt him drop her hand, but he hastily started over on the other hand. Agonizingly slow he dragged his tongue from her wrist all the way to the tip of each finger. Never in her wildest dreams would she have imagined her hands could be such a pleasure point. But nothing could have prepared her for when he started on her neck.

She let out an audible gasp as he tilted her head back, and slowly began laving the deep lacerations on her neck. Her breath came in short pants as her fingers intuitively found their way to his hair, knocking his hat off in the process. Leisurely he licked his way across her delicate skin, stopping to nip at her pulse point. She whimpered when finally he came to the place where he had first bitten her. Two silvery scars still marked her, and always would. Carelessly his lips pressed there, before he bit down...

Seras gasped and sat straight up. Her eyes darted around franticly as she tried to catch her breath. Alone. She must have been dreaming again she realized. On unsteady legs she stood up in the tub, the water cascading down her body as she reached for a towel.

Her mind still reeling from the incredibly real dream, she quickly dried off. She didn't even bother getting dressed; she just wrapped the towel around her body. Opening the door she barely glanced both ways before running all the way back to her room.

The door closed with a thump, and the snick of the lock. Seras leaned against it, the cool wood smooth against her bare shoulders as she tried to make sense of things.

Certainly she had dreamt about Master before... But never in her life had she experienced such a vivid dream. Her skin still burned with the feelings it left her with. She blushed and quickly pulled on a t-shirt and a pair of panties before throwing herself into bed.

Her breathing slowed as she tried to relax. Her fingers skimming over the skin of her neck absently as she tried unsuccessfully not to relive the dream. Suddenly she realized her neck was no longer sore. With a gasp she sat up in bed and looked at her hands; only slightly reddened but unbroken skin greeted her.

"M-Master!" She gasped out loud, wondering how much of it had really been in her head.

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Phew, another chapter done. I really enjoyed writing this one, even thought it was kind of hard. I tried really hard to get it juuust right. It's really hard to give a full scope of things with the whole story being 90 from Seras' point of view.

The little Walter/Seras scene was in homage to the wonderful authoress TeaRoses, the premier writer of W/S fiction. Not that I think she'll ever read it! I'm pretty sure she likes A/I only, hehe.

Again thank you everyone for the reviews. They really got me off my butt, and got me writing! If everyone wants the next chapters just as fast make sure to encourage me with a nice review! And look out for beta'd version of the previous chapters soon .


	5. Things go from bad to worse

A/N: It took me a few days to really start writing, and in the end I think this chapter is crap. But I'm kind of having trouble squeezing all my ideas in. This is not the first fan fiction I've ever written, but it's the first I've ever posted! So all in all I don't think I'm doing too badly.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Except for Alucard, he sleeps under my bed.

Rated for angst and impending smoochies.

**Thanks: Nepenthe my wonderful and very sweet beta.**

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It was cold and dark as Seras stood in the middle of the room. A slight icy breeze ruffled the hem of her nightgown as her eyes darted frantically around in the utter darkness.

"Seras Victoria," said a soft and deceptively friendly sounding voice. Her eyes locked onto him and he slowly appeared. A handsome young man in his mid twenties with seemingly gentle blue eyes. A beautiful blonde reclined in his arms limply, nuzzling against him and begging him to suck her blood.

"We are the same," he said, before sinking his fangs into the girl's delicate pale neck. Seras gasped and backed up as the blood started to flow freely down the other woman's body. The ends of the woman's long hair brushed against the crimson liquid as she cried for him to drink her dry.

"Why are you showing me this?!" she screamed at him as the blood seemed to flow endlessly. Its sweet coppery scent teased her senses as her mouth started to water.

"This is what you want. Become one with me," his soothing voice echoed as the blood trickled down the walls, slowly making its way towards her.

Seras backed up as the warm sweet liquid brushed her bare feet; the sight driving her wild despite her disgust. The young vampire bit into her hand to try to steady herself, but found it also slick and wet. She looked down to see her hands covered in blood as the crimson tide rushed around her. Her head snapped up as if on a string, the floor was suddenly littered with the bodies of her comrades, their lifeless bodies staring up at her as if in accusation.

"Master!" she screamed as she tried to get away.

"Drink your blood and grow strong, Police Girl," her Master's voice tickled in her ears from nowhere and everywhere.

Her eyes snapped open, her breathing ragged as she found herself once more in her bed. Seras sat up, eyes glancing around frantically. She had finally gotten back to sleep, only to be tormented in her dreams.

Weakly, she rose from the bed and stumbled over to the table. Despite herself she was ravenous with hunger. She tried to keep from ripping in to the blood pack like a wild animal, but her instincts overcame her senses. She growled as the warm liquid filled her mouth and temporarily sated her hunger. Seras wobbled as she sunk down in the chair, discarding the empty bag angrily.

"What am I becoming?"

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Seras found herself wandering through the Hellsing gardens again. The sunlight made everything burst with color compared to how it looked in the moon. She stubbornly ignored the watering in her eyes that being out in the day caused; she just couldn't sleep any more today.

A stab of pain sliced through her head as her eyes caught on something beside the path; a wavering vision that was gone before she could focus properly on it. Shaking her head, Seras absently wondered if she was going crazy.

"Victoria!" The familiar voice snapped her out of her reverie.

"Commander," she said, trying to regain her composure before turning to face him.

"I've been looking for you," he said, to no one's surprise. "I wanted to tell you that you've been removed from the active combat unit." Seras stood there dumbly with a perplexed look on her face. "Victoria! Stand at attention while your commander is reassigning you!"

"Sir!" Seras said, snapping into a clumsy salute. She had known it was just a matter of time before something like this happened. There was a reason her Master didn't usually fight with the troops.

He went on to tell her of her new assignment as a field operative. Gathering 'information', he had said. At the time, she had thought this was the kind of cushy thing the boys at D-11 would have given to her. But her tune quickly changed when she was given her first 'mission'.

It was crazy, it was ludicrous, and it might just be fun! She was to infiltrate a club that was suspected of being a nest of vampires. Scope it out, gather the numbers and report back. It sounded so simple, but few things actually were.

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Seras tugged at the edge of her skirt, cursing at her choice of attire for not the first time tonight. "Nasty mini skirt," she mumbled as she slipped on her sunglasses, before rounding the corner.

The streetlights had just turned on as dusk quickly gave way to night. The heels of her boots steadily clicked against the sidewalk as she calmly approached the club. '_It isn't quite what I had expected,_' she thought. It was a humble two-story brownstone in one of the denser parts of London. Two gothic styled lanterns hung beside each side of the door, casting a cheery pool of light in front of the unassuming building.

The young vampire doubled-checked the address before knocking on the door. After a few moments of silence the door swung open. The woman who stood behind it was the second unexpected thing. She was tall and willowy with blonde hair and pale eyes. She was dressed oddly in a flowing skirt and Victorian style blouse. She didn't look to be more than 19, and was obviously human.

"Hello there," the girl said in a soft dreamy voice.

"Um, hello..." Seras began, suddenly unsure. "Is this the Nogard club?"

"Why, yes it is. Were you invited here?" she asked in that same airy voice.

Seras smiled slightly before she started to speak. "No, I've just heard about this place," she answered, letting her glasses slip down enough for the woman to catch a glimpse of her red eyes.

"Oh, pardon me," the woman said, smiling broadly. "We welcome all enthusiasts freely." She stepped aside to let her in. "I'm Lilith," the woman said cheerily. "You never need to knock after dark. The doors are always open to people of like minds."

"Seras," the strawberry haired vampire told her simply. Something seemed a bit off to her. She followed Lilith from the foyer into the main part of the house. Unexpected thing number three.

The walls and floors were made of thick gray stone, giving the place a cool, dingy feel. Cobwebs were purposely untouched, and the whole place was sparsely lit at best. Seras removed her sunglasses as she looked around. The spacious room was packed with dozens of chattering young adults. Most of them were dressed almost in costume. The same style of Victorian or black clothing was seen on just about everyone in the room. A few even wore capes or thickly ruffled shirts.

Seras' eyes grew wide as she wove her way though the crowd. The throbbing of base drew her towards the basement, the sound of music getting clearer as she descended the steps. She stared dumbly at the site before her. Dozens of teenagers gyrating and swaying to the abysmal American "Emo" music that was blaring.

The low flickering lights caught on a giant glass bowl of bright red liquid. She squeezed through the crowd, making her way towards it. Her stomach gave an unexpected growl as she ladled a cup full and raised it to her lips. The scent immediately gave it away; she set it back down in disgust. It was heavily spiked fruit punch. She snorted as she realized what this was. It was a fucking Goth club full of vampire wannabes.

"Hey there," said a friendly male voice. Seras turned to see a handsome boy a year or two younger than her sizing her up.

"Hello," she replied, taking in his pale skin, black clothing and most interestingly, red eyes.

"I haven't seen you here before. You new?" he shouted over the music. Seras shook her head, only catching a few words. The young man motioned for her to follow him. She was intrigued, and smiled at him with a nod.

He led her upstairs to the second floor; it was still dimly lit, but blessedly quiet and nearly empty. She started to ask him what he wanted to talk to her about, but he grabbed her arm and pulled her into a seat against the wall.

"You're a real one, aren't you?" he said with a touch of awe. Seras tilted her head to the side, raising an eyebrow. "I mean you're a real vampire. I-I can sense it." His hand reached out to touch her arm; it was warm against her cool undead flesh.

"And you're a human," she stated, looking quizzically into his strange eyes.

"Ah, contacts," he said, answering her unspoken question. "Not nearly as nice as your eyes."

Seras sat back, pulling her arm away from him. Despite herself, it was very flattering to be looked at like that.

"Real ones don't come here very often... I-I've only heard rumors." He was leaning closer to her, seeming to almost absorb her presence. "I'm Andy by the way," he said, smoothing back his thick black hair. He grinned at her for a second, reminding her of someone else for a moment.

"So real vampires DO come here?" she mumbled half to herself.

"Oh yes... Usually to pick a few worthy ones." Seras looked up, about to ask him what he meant before he interrupted her. "C-can I...can I see them?" Seras gasped and raised her hand to smack him. "I-I m-mean your fangs. Can I see them?"

"Oh, I suppose," she said with a shrug, before giving him a fangy grin. He groaned and leaned closer, his knee brushing her thigh slightly.

"Oh man, those are so sexy. You look so hot with those," Andy told her, his voice a little deeper. Seras blushed at the strange compliment, her eyes trailing down his neck to rest on his pulse point. It fluttered invitingly, and her mouth almost watered.

His fingers slid onto her knee before he whispered in her ear, "Do you want to bite me?"

Seras shivered and bit back a moan. It was so tempting...she could sense his warm blood rushing through his veins, sweet and inviting. She could almost taste the precious liquid flooding her mouth. Her fangs ached with the need to taste fresh human blood, not the cold separated sludge that she fed on every night.

"Please, do it," he begged in a deep seductive voice. Her arms covered with goose bumps as she tried to fight the blood lust. Her fangs lightly grazed his neck about to... "Go ahead, suck me dry," he mumbled. Seras' eyes popped open at the familiar wording. In a flash, her dream from before came into her mind; her comrades' corpses rising as ghouls, her hands soaked in blood.

Seras gasped and pushed him away, causing him to fly off the loveseat and land on the hard stone floor with a thump.

"You idiot!" she hissed at him, eyes narrowed dangerously. "You have no idea what you are playing with." She stood up, presence suddenly dark and menacing as she towered over his prone body. "Get out of here, boy, before you really do get your wish and get transformed into a mindless ghoul." He skittered back a bit, suddenly terrified of her flashing blood red eyes. "Go!" she roared with as much ferocity as she could manage. With a yelp he shot up and ran for the door as fast as he could.

Seras dragged her fingers through her messy strawberry blonde hair, trying to quell the lingering blood lust that burned in her body.

'_You're getting better at controlling yourself, Police Girl,_' her Master's teasing voice echoed in her head. '_I'm not sure if I would have been able to resist such a tempting offer._'

Seras made a slight growling noise in the back of her throat and headed for the door. "Shut up Master."

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Seras drew her fist back again and struck as hard as she could. The blow landed with a muted thump that echoed through the empty training room. Her fists rained down again and again, determined to see stuffing before the night was over. With a growl, she landed a vicious roundhouse on the poor punch dummy, its seams warping and pulling under the strain.

"Jesus, what did he ever do to you?" echoed a slightly cocky British voice. Seras spun around, more than a bit startled.

"Commander Pickman! What are you doing here so early?" she squeaked. It was a bit past 4 A.M; dawn would be coming in a few hours.

The man gave her a leisurely up and down before running his hand through his slightly tousled red-brown hair. "I suppose I could ask you the same thing. But I guess this is normal for you."

Seras gave him a nervous grin, trying to hide the pummeled practice dummy behind her. It wouldn't do to let her commander seeing her de-stuffing Hellsing property. "Just a little...training session, to blow off some steam," she said casually, as if it was the most normal thing in the world to be growling and cursing and beating the crap out of an inanimate object.

"Thing never had a fighting chance," he said, with a crack of his knuckles. "I was going to come down for just the same sort of thing. Blow off a bit of steam. Care for a moving opponent?" Commander Pickman asked with a cocky grin.

Seras tilted her head, still nervously smiling. When he looked at her like that...he reminded her of someone. "All right, I'll try not to hurt you." Pickman chuckled and pushed his hair back again.

"Same here," he said, motioning towards the blue practice mat with a flourish. Seras bounced happily over to the spongy pad. No one had sparred with her since she was in training for the police force. In D-11, no one had wanted to hurt her because she was a girl. And now in Hellsing, no one wanted to be hurt by her because she was a vampire.

They circled each other casually, sizing each other up for a moment. Pickman moved with a fluid grace on his feet that bespoke of more close combat training than just standard self-defense. '_That's okay,_' Seras thought. Her father had taught her more than a thing or two growing up.

"So I hear you got reassigned," he said, lightly sidestepping a blow aimed for his solar plexus before countering. Man he was fast for a human.

"Yes, that's right," Seras started, landing a glancing blow on his shoulder as he turned. "Wouldn't want to demoralize the troops," she said with a sneer, hopping back out of the way of his legs.

Pickman smirked; this was the best fight he'd had in months. The troops were usually leery of going all out with their commander. The young vampire spun around and aimed a lightning fast kick at his stomach; he smiled as he deftly caught her leg. "Now that's not very nice," he said teasingly, a double meaning clear in his voice.

Seras gasped and tried to pull away, his grip was surprisingly strong for a human. He quickly let go of her, causing her to stumble back and nearly fall on her butt. She huffed as she bounced back up, her eyes flashing a bit brighter. More cautiously she approached; he rushed her, meaning to knock her off balance. Seras nimbly feinted left then right, surprising him with a quick jab that caught him squarely in the side. He stumbled back with a gasp, swiping his hair out of his face.

"You're good," he said with a genuine smile. "It's a shame they underestimate you."

Seras nearly bounced on the balls of her feet, happy to be taken seriously for once. She hopped back, twisting and parrying a flurry of kicks and punches. God he was good. She imagined she would hardly have been able to keep up with him as a human. "You're not so bad yourself," she said in a voice that came out almost flirtingly. Seras blew some hair out of her eyes, her blood humming pleasantly from the physical exertion.

"You know Seras..." he began, circling around her slowly. "Even if we aren't fighting together in the field anymore, I'll still always consider you a comrade."

Seras tilted her head, momentarily taken aback. That was such a nice thing to say, she thought. It was just what she needed to hear right now. Taking advantage of her temporary distraction he dropped down, sweeping her feet out from under her with a low kick. She went down with a squeal, and he was quickly on top of her, effectively pinning her squirming body to the mat.

"Give up?" he said with a laugh. Seras narrowed her eyes, smiling despite herself. She batted her lashes charmingly, letting her thigh press against his intimately for a moment.

"I guess you're just too much for me," she said in a silky voice. His eyes ran over her body as his smile broadened. Seizing the chance, Seras twisted her hands out of his and bucked him off of her. With a laugh, she leaned over his prone form, her thighs on either side of him as she pinned him in an iron hold.

"Jesus, Victoria. You fight dirty," Pickman said with a wheeze, the air knocked out of him. Seras batted her lashes again, giving him a nice fangy grin.

"Give up?" she echoed. Her eyes landed on his fluttering pulse at his throat, his blood was running fast for exertion and excitement. And as tempting as it was, and as handsome as he looked, it was still easy to resist with her Master's teasing taunts still fresh in her mind.

Pickman cleared his throat, trying to get some air into him. "Uncle. I give I give," he said in a mock plead. Seras grinned at him, she felt happier than she had in a while. Carefully she let go of him, getting up slowly to make sure he didn't change his mind and counter-attack.

When she was up she reached her hand out to help him up, he grabbed it and hoisted himself up off the ground. He pulled her a little closer as he stood, smiling down at her suggestively. "Good match, Victoria," he said with a smirk.

'_God, he was so cocky._' He reminded her a little bit of Master. Seras blushed, wondering if that was why she found him vaguely attractive. "Goodnight Commander... Or morning for you, I suppose," she said, stepping back and patting him on the shoulder. '_No need to encourage him,_' she thought sadly. A small part of her wondered why not, what was holding her back anyway? But these thoughts were quickly dismissed; some things were worth waiting for she mused.

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Seras yawned as she headed back towards her room, freshly bathed after her 'work-out'. It was nearly dawn, and tendrils of fatigue were creeping in on her, making her eyes start to blur. Sliding silently down the hallway, something caught her eye, a flash of color, white and green. Curious, she followed.

Slipping from shadow to shadow she trailed the person, eyes darting around her for signs of detection. God she loved stalking people. Finally she saw a door start to swing closed, she immediately stuck her hand in the crack to keep it from latching. Curiously she peeked in. It was Sir Integra and...Master? She squinted as she tried to catch the faint snatches of conversation.

"Have you ever thought about asking me to drink your blood?" she heard his deep voice clearly say. Integra's sharp reply was a little harder to make out. Seras' heart sunk at the implication. Master wanted to make Integra a vampire? No, she would NEVER let him do that! She almost killed herself purging the 'impure blood' from her body.

Seras started to back up as Integra huffed and spun towards the door. The young vampire began to make flight, but not before she heard Alucard calling after the Hellsing heir, "Don't you want to mix your blood with mine?"

Seras ran all the way back to her room, stubbornly refusing to let the tears fall until she was safely enclosed in her coffin. H-how, how could Master even suggest that?! She wept silently into her pillow, wondering again if Master loved Integra. But maybe he was just teasing her as usual... But even if that was the case, couldn't he even see how _she_ felt about him? Gripping her pillow, Seras poured all her despair out with her silent sobs. Couldn't he see that she loved him? Seras gasped and covered her mouth, as if she could somehow force the thoughts back in. Did she? Was it possible he could ever...? No, she was being stupid again. She turned over onto her side, pulling up the covers as she tried to force herself into sleep.

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She could feel him. Strong fingers caressing her skin, making her blood run hot under the surface. Her fingers dug into his shoulders as his lips kissed her feverish skin. It was so dark, she couldn't see... All she could do was feel. What was happening to her? She felt so warm, so alive.

Her eyes fluttered as she arched into the phantom touch that was consuming her. This was it, this is what she wanted. She didn't want to think and agonize anymore. She just wanted to feel. Her breath came in short gasps as she writhed and arched, what was doing this to her? Then she heard it, her own voice as if she wasn't there at all, just watching.

"Master..."

Seras shot up out of bed, her head smacking on the unforgiving lid of her coffin. She groaned and gripped her abused head. What on earth had she been dreaming? Her body was covered in a thin sheen of sweat, and her legs were tangled in the bedclothes as if she had been thrashing around in her sleep. The sheets were fairly soaked. What had she...?

'_Oh God, this is getting worse,_' she thought. It had felt so...so real. A blush seemed to spread through her body at her tawdry thoughts. She suddenly was very aware that the sheets weren't the only thing soaked. She groaned as she fought the urge to assuage the aches in her body that had nothing to do with fighting for once.

Seras hastily scrabbled out of her coffin, still short of breath. She had to get out of here, before she did something incredibly stupid. She had to stop thinking these things, or she was going to get hurt! She knew there was no way Master could care for her like that... Well, he could desire her, she was sure of that. But the reason she had saved herself was because she wanted love! As she hastily dressed she just prayed she wasn't getting herself so deep she couldn't stop herself.

She needed to talk to someone. A woman. Aside from Integra, Seras really wasn't friends with many members of her gender, tomboy that she was. And she was sure Sir Integra wouldn't be much help with matters of the heart, especially not _this_ matter.

What had Helena said when she had touched her... That she was lucky? Not by far... Wait, maybe Helena... Yes, she would go see the elder vampire, maybe she could help knock some sense into her. Having lived a solitary life for so long, she must be more than used to loneliness.

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Seras bit back a tear as she hurried out of the manor. It was early dusk, and no one paid her any mind. She slapped her messy hair out of her face and made quick work of the ground under her feet. She must have nearly run the whole way, because before she knew it, she was there.

Catching her breath, she paused before knocking gently on the thick wooden door. The small noise cut through the ascending silence of early night, steadying her thoughts somewhat.

"Come in, Seras Victoria," the unearthly voice echoed in her mind. The young vampire breathed a sigh of relief that she wasn't being turned away, and opened the door. It was exactly like it had been before. Golden candlelight spread through the room in splashes, elongating the shadows in other areas. The whole house was very old and hushed, giving off an aura of an almost hallowed nature. Seras' feet creaked on the floorboards, making her almost rue breaking the calm.

"Seras," the voice called to her again, this time out loud. She walked around one of the massive bookshelves to find the petite vampire seated on an old ornate settee with a book in her lap. She smiled almost sadly as she sat it down and motioned for Seras to sit beside her.

Gratefully, she sunk into the plush upholstery, her body now feeling the effects of her blind escape.

"What brings you here again so soon?" the seemingly little girl asked with an air of casual interest. Seras closed her eyes, the calm voice assisting to again steel her for what she knew would be a healing purging of thoughts she had kept in too long.

"I think I have a problem," she started uncertainly. When Helena just continued to look at her patiently, she continued. "I can't control my feelings anymore! I feel like I'm not in charge of my mind. I...I don't want to feel like this... I don't want to care so much..." she said, trailing off into sniffles. Helena placed her cool hand on top of Seras'; a gentle warm seemed to emanate from it as she stared at her intently.

"You're afraid your feelings aren't returned, correct?" her voice was carefully emotionless, but again Seras could see melancholy in the girl's eyes.

"I...I don't see... How did you know? C...can you read my mind?" she asked a bit uneasily.

"Only if you let me. No, what I see is plain for the world to observe if they know what to look for. Your eyes betray you. You are falling in love, but you feel it is a forbidden one, correct?"

Seras nodded, taken aback at the insight. But she supposed if someone lived to be so old, they would be able to read a person quite easily. She hoped her emotions weren't so apparent in front of him...or maybe he just chose to ignore it.

"What do I do?" was all she could think of to say. Helena stared at her for several seconds, her intense eyes burning into hers so deeply she had to look away. Helena slowly slid from her seat, standing in front of Seras so she was looking at her eye level.

"As I said before, you have become one of the night at a very good age. You will be like this forever, a beautiful woman." Her eyes were defiantly sad now. Seras felt quite guilty for bringing up the one thing this girl could never have. "You have an eternity to wait for someone to come around, or an eternity to forget. It's your choice."

Seras stared at her, at a loss for words. If she stayed faithfully by his side, would her Master someday learn to love her? As painful as it was to think, even if he WAS involved with Integra... She would never become a vampire, she was certain of it. Even if he did love her, she wouldn't be around forever. She would have him for eternity. But...could she stand it? Seras' eyes filled with tears at the thought of wasting away waiting for her Master. No...

Helena's pale hand reached out and touched the younger vampire's hair. "...May I?" she asked timidly, the first real signs of emotion she had heard evident in her voice. Seras knew she was asking for approval to enter her mind. An act almost more personal than she could imagine, letting someone see ones every thought. But looking into the girl's sad and ageless eyes, how could she refuse?

She nodded, her eyelids drooping as she opened her mind to her. A soft warmth tickled at the back of her mind, calm and steadfast, but also very sad. Seras found herself reliving memories without her control. They flashed by quickly like the flipping of pages.

_Her mother and father running in the sunshine, her first crush, hasty kisses behind trees, love notes and breakup letters. First love and first heartbreak, death, her father, her squad, the members of Hellsing. Pain and happiness flashed by so quickly they seemed to bleed together into a sort of gray area of numbness... Slowing now, she could make out individual images. The night she was turned. Security in her Master's arms, the rare gentleness she glimpsed in his eyes, his hand reaching down for hers, being saved by him again and again. His warm arms wrapped around her, his strength steadying her. His bare fingers and his lips on her skin as he cared for her wounds. The look in his eyes as he stared up at her. She saw it all as if she was floating above it. He looked at her, just...just like she looked at him. Was it possible he could...?_

Suddenly, like being dunked in ice water, she found herself lying back against the antique loveseat, shaking slightly and out of breath. Already the memories of what had just happened seemed to be slipping away like a half remembered dream. She desperately tried to hold onto them.

Unnoticed Helena carefully wiped the tracks of sparkling tears from her pale cheeks.

"T-Thank you," she said in a wavering voice. "I always wondered what it was like to experience...such, deep emotions." The girl locked eyes with Seras, her eyes still glimmering peculiarly in the candlelight. "I would give anything to be as you are for a single day. Be happy you can feel such things, and don't take them for granted. You have an eternity..."

Quickly the small vampire seemed to regain her composure. She picked up the book she had been reading and carried it to a large over stuffed chair nearby. "Please leave me, Seras Victoria. I need to think."

Still stunned, the blonde vampire got to her feet, mind still reeling from everything that had just happened. She wondered if she could ever gain the ability to experience someone else's thoughts as she was sure Helena had just hers.

Not being able to think of any suitable thing to say, Seras just nodded before taking her leave. It was now fully dark, the moon was up and the stars seemed unnaturally bright. Calmly, as if in a dream, she walked back home. Yes, for the first time it felt as if Hellsing was home. A new life and forever to live it.

"Eternity..." she said softly as her footfalls echoed strangely in the night.

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	6. Coming to a head

A/N: Well this chappy was an odd one to write. It's pretty easy to see this was written over a period of days in which I was in many different moods. It contains elements of both humor and angst, which is always an odd combination. Hope you guys like it all right!

Special thanks: Nepenthe for being my beta, and Alyndrya for being cool enough to have an A/S group. Also thank you to all my reviewers!

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Seras slowly stirred the bowl of bright red fluid while gazing into its rippling surface. It was terribly boring staring at these same four walls. She wondered briefly if she could somehow redecorate the room to make it feel like less of a damp vampiric 'lair'. Even if that was technically what it was.

She lifted the spoon, absently licking off the cool viscous blood and letting it trickle down her throat. The young vampire was not particularly hungry, but she was in no mood for a lecture from Walter or her Master. Besides, the blood warmed her insides pleasantly and soothed her, like a big bowl of soup.

"Boring..." she mumbled between sips. No missions to do today, she was starting to miss search and destroy time with the troops. As much as she complained about hating it, a certain part of her thrilled in the hunt and relished the kill.

Seras almost considered bothering her Master like he bothered her when he was bored, but her heart was still rather raw from overhearing his offer to Sir Integra. And despite her resolve to stay by his side, she really didn't think she could face him just now. Maybe she would bother Walter or Commander Pickman. They seemed to be the only people who treated her like a person these days.

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Seras grumbled as she stalked down the hall. Various "stupid Master's" and other more colorful phrases coming from her mouth. Why did it seem everywhere she turned, there he was?

She had caught him teasing Integra again, and God did it make her blood boil. Seras hadn't been particularly keen on going to see the older woman, but her search of the manor for Walter had turned up empty-handed. Finally she had resolved upon asking the Hellsing heir if she knew where her butler was. He always seemed to be just a thought away from Integra when she needed him.

Standing outside the thick wooden door to Integra's office, she had prepared to knock. She quickly changed her mind when she heard Integra's shrill screech.

"Alucard! I swear to God if you even look at me again today, I'll lock you in the dungeons for a week!" The woman's clear, commanding voice made Seras wince.

"Why, what ever do you mean, Master? I simply said you have a lovely neck," she heard Alucard say in as innocent a voice as he could muster.

"And stop peeking in on me when I'm changing my bandages!" she yelled at him with enough force to make Seras back up a step. But still, she was openly pleased with how Integra seemed to staunchly dislike her Master's little 'compliment'. But Seras supposed if she was still human, she might not appreciate that particular observation either.

"Do you need some help with them?" he asked in a silky voice.

"OUT!!" Seras heard her shriek, even as she was halfway back down the hallway.

So here she found herself, stomping down the halls of Hellsing manor and cursing indelicately. "Stupid Master..." she said for at least the fifth time. Part of her wished she had taken Pickman up on his silent offer last night, just so she could rub it in her Master's face. Even if she would be with him forever, did that mean she had to be alone while she was waiting?

Cracking her knuckles, she resisted the urge to smash her fist into the hard stone wall. Just once, she wished she could make his body burn with jealously like hers did right now.

"Miss Victoria?" The soft inquiry made her snap around, her eyes still burning with dangerous fire.

"Walter!" Seras squeaked, embarrassed to be caught in such a flustered state.

"I was just looking for you," she told him, her eyes instantly softening.

"Ah, ahem... Did you need something?" he asked in an unsure tone, clearly worried her previous wrath had somehow been directed at him.

"Oh, I'm just bored," Seras told him, giving him a quick up and down. "I was wondering if maybe you have some free time to talk. Or maybe I could help you with something."

Walter cleared his throat and straightened his tie. Was it just him, or was Seras looking at him slightly...suggestively?

"P-perhaps you can help me do some weapons maintenance," he managed to say rather evenly.

"Oh yes," Seras said giving him a slow smile. "I'm very good at cleaning guns."

Walter immediately went into a small coughing fit, trying to keep himself from getting a nosebleed right then and there. And Seras' gentle touch on his shoulder and asking if he was all right was certainly not helping either.

"Y-Yes miss Victoria, I'm sure you are," the aged butler said, straightening his tie again as a distraction.

Seras secretly preened at being able to have such an effect on any man. One way or another, she was going to make her Master burn inside.

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This was actually rather enjoyable Seras thought; reassembling another standard Fammas with the ease that comes from much practice. This kind of thing made her remember her days in D-11 fondly.

"You're rather skilled at that," Walter said with a smile, noting how quickly and proficiently she operated.

"Thank you. Gun maintenance is very important for maximum efficiency," Seras said, quoting her instructor from police training. Nice repetitive work was just the thing to keep her mind off certain things.

"Miss Victoria, would you like to see something I've been working on?" he asked with the hushed tones that a master painter might use when offering to show off a piece of unfinished work.

"I'd love to!" Seras said happily, following him across the room. Walter always made the most amazing things, she thought.

Hellsing's retainer pulled out a shiny leather-bound case and set it on the nearby table.

He opened it with a tiny creak of its hinges and turned it to display its contents. Seras gasped as she stared at the sleek, custom modified silver plated desert eagle.

"May I?" the young vampire asked in a hushed voice. Walter nodded with a slight grin. Seras picked up the pistol and tested its weight and balance. In her human days, a fully loaded Deagle might have been a little much for her, and usually she would have stuck with a more delicate Sig, or even a Glock. But now as she extended her arm out to see how it felt, it was like a finely crafted extension of her body.

"Wonderful," she said simply, before setting it back in its cloth-lined case. As much as she loved her standard PPK, she wouldn't mind owning such a pistol.

"I designed it with a woman's hands in mind," he told her, explaining why it fit so comfortably in her small hand. "I thought it would make a lovely gift for Sir Integra," Walter said absently as he closed the case and put it away.

Seras felt her eye twitch at the mention of the older woman. Even if it wasn't Integra's fault, she couldn't help but feel irked at her for dominating her Master's attentions.

The hairs on the back of her neck prickled, and she fought to keep her expression plain. '_Well, speak of the devil,_' she thought to herself. Her Master was...somewhere around here she instantly knew. Drinking her blood every night was sharpening her instincts.

"Walter, I'm sure she'll love it. You're an amazing craftsman, so skilled with your hands," she told him with an innocent smile. The young vampire hoped her Master was eavesdropping this time; or better yet, watching.

"Well, thank you, Miss Victoria. Years of practice have perfected my technique of...um, weapons...making," he fumbled for something suitable to say, her early teasing obviously fresh on his mind.

The back of her skull prickled slightly as she sensed her Master's careful scrutiny. She wasn't quite as clueless as he seemed to think. Seras smiled broadly, placing her hand on Walter's forearm.

"Walter, I don't know if I properly thanked you for the other day," Seras said sweetly, taking full advantage of the situation.

"Oh, think nothing of it, it was my pleasure. I'm always here when you need it-err that is to say when you need help...that is," the older man told her, trying to give her a friendly pat on the shoulder.

"Nonsense, I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't been there to help me." Seras batted her eyelashes, and then leaned forward. She placed a chaste kiss on his cheek, just at the corner of his mouth. The tips of her messy hair brushed his face, obscuring their faces from view and making it appear to the entire world that they were kissing...or at least making it appear that way to one nosy vampire.

Seras smiled as she pulled back, returning his friendly pat. She was more than pleased to note her Master's presence retreating. With an inward grin, she hoped he was steaming inside.

Seras looked down both ends of the corridor before leaving her room. For almost two days now she had managed to avoid both her Master and a slightly confused Walter. The young vampire couldn't help but giggle every time she thought about the butler. He really was quite cute when he was flustered.

Her eyes darted this way and that as she made her way towards Sir Integra's study. Being stuck inside for the past few days was driving her stir crazy; she just prayed the Hellsing heir had something for her to do. Something outside, preferably involving shooting things of some sort.

For some reason, it was no real surprise to her when she heard Sir Integra's raised voice from outside the door.

"He did WHAT?!"

Seras winced. This seemed to be becoming a regular occurrence.

"It's nothing to get so worried about, Sir Integra. He just tripped me in the hallway...and stole my monocle..." the older man trailed off.

"That vampire is a menace!" Seras heard Integra snap before she headed back the way she came. Her eyes were nearly bugging out of her head as she tried to suppress her laughter. Poor Walter though, she hadn't really meant to _use _him to make Master jealous like that... Wait, did that mean he _was_ jealous? Seras snickered as she bounced down the stairs two at a time.

She stopped abruptly, swearing she caught a flicker of movement out of the corner of her eye. But just as quick as she could turn, it was gone.

A strange icy feeling in the pit of her stomach lingered.

'_Feeling all right, Police Girl?_' he whispered into her mind before melting through the wall. Seras screeched and nearly tumbled down the steps. But instead of falling in an almost worse twist of fate, she found herself in the arms of her Master.

"Master!" she squeaked, quickly attempting to right herself. His fingers dug into her arms for just a moment as if he didn't want to let her go, before she stood back up. Seras looked away, letting her hair cover her reddened face. Why did close contact with him affect her like this?

"I said, are you feeling well? Have you been neglecting to drink your blood again?" Alucard asked with a slight undercurrent of warning. Seras shook her head quickly. After what had happened with Sir Integra almost dying, she knew she had to be strong.

"N-No Master, I've just been feeling...odd," she mumbled, careful not to look him in the eyes. Her nerves were still a little frayed when it came to him.

"Odd?" he asked simply, letting his glasses slide down so he could look over them. Seras scratched the back of her neck while she looked at the ground. She really didn't want her Master to think she was crazy.

"I've just been feeling funny, sensing things." The young vampire really hoped her Master would just leave her alone at that. She still wasn't quite sure if she wanted to kick him or kiss him after the past few days.

"Ah, your vampiric instincts are getting sharper," he mused, slowly moving towards her. Seras gulped, fighting the urge to retreat from him. Whenever he looked at her like that, she always felt like some great predatory cat was stalking her.

"And I...I've been seeing things," she felt compelled to say, as if he had coaxed the words right out of her mouth.

"What things?" Alucard asked in a slightly stern voice. Seras hoped he wasn't going to tell her to get more sleep and drink her blood.

"Just...things on the edge of my eyes, strange visions. B-bad things, like warnings, and bad dreams too," she managed to get out; if she wasn't crazy, she really didn't want to be told she was foreseeing tragedy.

"Dreams, you say? It is possible some of your latent vampiric abilities are beginning to manifest themselves," he said with something that sounded like a hint of pride. "Tell me about them."

Seras let out a shaky breath; that was the last thing she wanted to do. "L-like...someone taunting me...a man." She just hoped to God he wouldn't want to know about her OTHER dreams.

"A man..." he mused, almost spitting out the last word. "Anyone you know?" Seras quickly shook her head. "Always the same man?" This time, she nodded.

"D-does it mean something...?" she asked, half-afraid and half-hopeful.

"It's possible someone is playing with your mind," he said after a moment, the older vampire's voice almost sounded concerned.

Seras felt his gloved hand cup her chin and gently raise it until she was looking him in the eyes. She forced herself to not look away as he peered into her crimson orbs intently. Then she felt it, the slight tingling at the back of her skull. For just a moment she panicked, thinking he was going to read some horribly embarrassing thought and she snapped her mind shut. Almost unbidden, she couldn't help but summon the image of a bear-trap clamping down on the creeping tendrils of her Master's mind.

He smirked. "Good, you seem to have a strong mind," Alucard nearly purred, his praise seeming to wash over her. Seras couldn't help but shiver as she tried to break away from his piercing gaze.

"M-Master..."

"I think it's time I taught you a few things," he murmured in a heavy voice. Her eyes shot up to his face, but his carefully emotionless smirking face didn't tell her anything. Had she merely imagined the feeling she just got from him?

"Master?" Her voice sounded strangely breathy to her ears. He just smiled a bit more broadly.

"With practice I think you could develop your mind quite nicely." His voice felt warm velvet being dragged over her body. Seras both loathed and reveled in the way he could make her feel with just the simplest things.

"I-I'll try Master," she managed to get out, but her high overly eager squeak made her almost wince. Why did she always have to come off sounding so weak and helpless?

"Yes, Police Girl, see that you do." He laughed as he melted back into the blackness of the corridor; leaving his fledgling once again with nothing but her thoughts.

Seras squinted after him, suddenly feeling very stupid for getting so fluttery around him. He acted like she couldn't do it! Well, she wasn't exactly sure what it was she couldn't do yet, but she would find out and show him! '_Someday I'll make him proud,_' she thought with an indignant sniff.

Rubbing her hands together she started back for her room to change into her civvies. Seras didn't really care if Integra _did_ have something for her to do; she was going to visit Helena. No doubt if there was anyone who could teach her about these strange visions without teasing her, it was the strange elder vampire.

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'_Not crazy, that's always good to know,_' Seras thought absently. The heels of her black combat boots clicked ominously in the still night air as she made the some familiar journey to Helena's flat.

It was early summer, and a light wind was stirring the trees. The air was refreshing and the moon was full; a beautiful night as Master would say. Seras had to admit nights like this were the only good thing about London's weather. But then again, it was only the nights she could truly enjoy now.

As the young fair-haired vampire approached Helena's old brownstone a sense of foreboding trickled down her spine. She shook her head, trying to cleanse the image of flames that popped into her head.

Quickly, she ran the rest of the way and knocked on the great wooden door; only silence and the terrible feeling greeted her. Without another thought, she kicked the door in and pulled out her pistol in tandem.

"Miss Helena!?" she called into the peculiarly silent house; no old scratchy opera could be heard this night.

The sight before her was one that would haunt her the rest of her days. A tall man-like monster slowly turned to look at her; his skin was a sickly shade of purple, and his head was elongated and misshapen.

"Another snack for me?" the creature said in a slow methodical voice that sounded only vaguely human.

"What did you do to Miss Helena?!" the young vampire cried, and watched as a single white slipper fell from the monster's grasp.

"She has become part of my flesh, as will you." Seras squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, and with a pained cry emptied her magazine into his chest.

With some sick parody of a smile, he extended his arm, the muscles twisting and popping nauseatingly as his flesh stretched. Like something out of a nightmare, a giant machine gun was produced from his own flesh.

Seras quaked as he raised the gun at her. At this moment, she entertained no illusions that she could survive something like this like her Master.

"Is your only regret that you shared your blood with Alucard?" he asked in that same dead voice.

Before she had even contemplated her answer, a strange sound cut through the silence. They immediately both turned and watched as the arm of the antique phonograph moved of its own volition and the needle set down on the old record. The soft strains of opera music floated through the air.

And then hovering in the air like some angelic being was Helena. Seras gasped as she realized she was not the only one who saw this 'vision'. The beast turned and fired his great gun at the girl with a cry of bewilderment. The bullets ripped into the majestic furniture like tissue paper, spraying bits of books and wood everywhere. At this the apparition merely seemed to blow away like so much sand in the wind.

"What the...?" With the strange sound of rending flesh, a single tiny hand began to push its way out of the demon's abdomen. Seras gasped as the imprint of the childlike vampire's face soon followed. With a growl he produced a knife, and viciously cut off the vampire's face, letting it fall to the ground with a muted thump.

"A vampire who won't drink human blood would not make much of a snack anyway," he said flatly, before vanishing into the night.

"H-Helena!" Seras cried, rushing over to the discarded head and falling to her knees. Tears dripped down her cheeks as she looked at another one of the few friends she had in this world die.

"Don't cry. Don't cry, Seras Victoria," the girl vampire's voice echoed softly through the once again still night. One brilliant yellow eye opened and peered at her, its fire weak and hazy.

"Miss Helena..." Seras slowly reached out to brush away that creature's piece of putrid flesh off the other girl's face.

"Don't touch me!" she cried, her eye slipping half closed again. "Seras, listen to me, don't cry for me. Vampires never truly die. We become a part of the stars..." Seras tried desperately to stifle her sobs as she listened to this amazing vampire child face death so calmly.

"Seras... Be a good servant to your Master. Have the things in your unlife I could not. You are still so...full of fire... Know love." Her voice grew soft and her eyes dimmed.

Without really knowing what she was doing, Seras leaned over her and concentrated fiercely on Helena's face. The telltale prickling in her mind signaled the opening of a mental link. Like the floodgates, thousands of images poured into Seras' mind. For a brief moment, she had a taste of the endless loneliness and pain this one girl had known in her long life; in that moment, Seras was happy she would finally have peace.

"Seras...listen to me. Your comrades are about to walk into a trap." As the young vampire hesitated by her side, she cried out, "Go Seras! My body will be gone soon." With the last of her strength, Helena willed a nearby toppled candle to flash with renewed life; the hundreds of old dry tomes quickly caught fire.

With a nod, Seras climbed back to her feet and sprinted from the old house. With a final glance back at the now-blazing building, she couldn't help but think that this house that Helena had spent so many years in would make a fine funeral pyre.

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Phew, all in all I think that was the hardest chapter to write. This should be the next to last chapter, and I'm trying to get all of my ideas squeezed in. The next chapter should be a big one too! Now here is the question... I'm still pretty shy about writing "lemons" and whatnot. Do you guys think the last chapter should contain one? Review and vote for yes or no to the lemon. If enough people want me to write one, I'll do my best and post that part on only. Thanks everyone for reading thus far, this has certainly been a writing experiment for me.


	7. In the arms of darkness

Disclaimer: For the last time, I don't own Hellsing!

Rating: R-ish

A/N: Here it is: The seventh and final chapter of Shine. It took awhile because frankly I embarrassed myself while writing it. I tried to practice with the lemons with "Impure thoughts", but I'm still kinda newbie at it. So...No complaining!

Thanks to: Nepenthe my invaluable beta, Jamie Bunyi who helped me to format all the chapters, and looked over the older ones, Princess Destiny who is just generally cool, all my reviewers and everyone who gave me inspiration!

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Seras ran, her muscles aching in protest to the inhuman strain she was putting them under as she tried in vain to raise someone on her headset. The young vampire blanked her mind against the pain in an attempt to transcend those limits; Seras Victoria was quite inhuman.

She ran on, her delicate vampiric senses picking up the acrid stench of smoke and the tang of fresh blood on the air. There was no doubt a massacre going on tonight.

Finally she found herself pushing through the crowd gathering around the tower of London. Low in her throat she snarled at the one who protested at her intrusion; bloody morbid thrill seekers all of them.

Then she saw him, Commander Fargasson standing defiantly before all of London as if to challenge her authority. She started to run to him, barely biting back her call to him as he pinned her in place with a single look. This was his choice.

His words were drowned out by the sudden rushing sound in her ears; something terrible was about to happen she knew. And then he was falling gracelessly to the pavement, a fine spray of blood misting out behind him as the single bullet pierced his skull.

Seras screamed and pushed through the final barrier of the police blockade, the fierce fire in her eyes momentarily stopping anyone from impeding this one woman. As if in a trance she fell to her knees before the commander's body, and gently placed his head in her lap. Her mind tried desperately to form a link with his, but every bit of his wan life-force was already quickly leaving his body.

Tears filled her crimson eyes as she leaned over and licked a tiny trail of blood off his cheek. It was still warm and sweet, contrasting starkly with the rigid yet dependable man that so reminded her of her late Father. Gently she laid him back down and stood. In tasting his blood, a part of him would always remain with her.

The fire sprang back into her eyes as she rushed over to the abandoned Hellsing supply vehicle. She was pleased to find it contained everything she wanted: Her Halconnen and a spare uniform. Quickly she donned the crisp blue outfit and loaded up on spare ammunitions. Hefting the deadly anti freak cannon she hopped back out of the armored vehicle, being greeted with a host of gasps in the process.

"May the grace of God and her Majesty the queen go with Seras Victoria of the Hellsing organization, amen." Swiftly she turned and fired the halconnen into an adjacent building; the bright flash and rain of smoke serving as the perfect distraction for her to rush through the outer gate of the tower.

Seras dashed thru the outer courtyard of the tower, her vampiric senses screaming at the amount of blood and death she felt around her. With more calm and precision than she thought she possessed, she unloaded her pistol into the former members of the SAS.

Her eyes shown with an unearthly glow as one after the other these mutant freaks attempted to attack this frail looking girl, and quickly met their demise. As young as she was, the blood that pumped thru her undead heart was ancient and powerful; these lowly freaks would only get the one lesson in the folly of underestimating her.

Discarding the empty pistol, Seras hefted her halconnen into the ready position as she ran. Her boots clicked loudly on the cobblestone path as she made her way for the inner tower. Without batting an eyelash she pivoted mid step and fired from the hip as a grotesque freak attempted to ambush her from a tree.

"You're all devils!" She screamed as his already lifeless corpse fell to the ground in a burst of dust.

_'Police_ _girl, enjoy this. Enjoy this massacre; this alone will make you strong!'_ The voice of her sire echoed in her head as she turned to fire another shot.

"Master!" Seras gasped, happy to know that she wasn't alone here. But still...

"He said I should enjoy this, how could I enjoy this? Could I be enjoying this?" She asked aloud as she ran on.

"Seras Victoria!" A strongly familiar voice called to her. She turned sharply, momentarily stunned to be confronted with the "man of her dreams", or nightmares as it were.

With only a moments hesitation she began to aim her cannon at him, but that moment was enough for the man to strike out at her with unearthly speed. Seras found herself on her back, pinned beneath this man with his haunting ice blue eyes boring into her.

"We are the same;" He said, echoing what he had said in her dreams "Join me Seras Victoria. As you are now you are a slave, little better than a ghoul."

Looking into his eyes made her head hurt and she realized he must be trying to break into her mind. Angrily she spat at his face. She was disgusted to see him lazily lick it off.

"Alucard's blood runs in my veins!" The declaration gave her strength as she bucked off this man who in life must have been very beautiful; but now he was just cold and twisted to her eyes.

With an almost cat-like hiss she threw herself at him, swift kicks and blows driving him off balance but not landing. Finally a sharp kick connected with his side, the answering sound of crunching ribs music to her ears. With that cold emotionless smile he swatted her back, making her lose her footing and drop to one knee.

"You are very beautiful Seras Victoria," He said as his bones continued to twist and pop sickeningly, until before her stood a hideous bat-like monster.

"Please me with your beautiful face." The man-beast said in a slightly distorted voice.

Without missing a beat Seras slid the ammo case off her shoulder, giving him her most seductive smile.

"My, you've become very handsome," She purred as her hand slipped into the obscured ammunitions bag.

"You can only admit your feelings when you're beaten. I like that." He said with a sickeningly fangy grin.

Seras smiled back, her fingers wrapping around the assuring weight of a 30mm depleted uranium shell.

"Go to Hell!" The fledgling vampire cried, rushing the freak with more speed one would think she possessed, and shoving the shell in the beast's mouth with brutal force.

"But before you do, apologize to my comrades along the way!"

He gasped as the round lodged in his mouth began to pulse with heat. Seras jumped back as it exploded, a fine spray of blood coating her like a morning shower.

She closed her eyes for a moment, reveling in the heady thrill of the kill. The sharp aftertaste of blood and smoke roused her senses into a state of ultra awareness, perhaps her Master was right.

"Master!" She gasped as a stab of worry slashed through her. Something was wrong! Quickly she hefted her discarded cannon and ammo-case and ran for the inner sanctum of the tower.

Seras reached the final stretch with no resistance, but her senses where still going haywire with visions of impending doom.

As she neared the place the link with her Master felt strongest, her eyes flicked to a familiar red hat. A lump formed in her throat as she recognized the uniform of Commander Pickman. His hands still wrapped around his gun, and her Master's hat covering his face. Seras only wished she had time to grieve now.

With a breathless huff Seras threw the doors open to the place she knew her Master was, the feelings of dread almost overwhelming her as she feared what she would find.

There he was, torn apart and facing that terrible purple freak that had killed Helena. A look of worry graced his face as that monster taunted him about the lack of bullets in the gun that was currently leveled at his face.

With a gasp Seras tore into her ammo pack, producing the clip of mercury alloy bullets she had thought to bring.

"Master!" She cried out to him, starting to blindly run towards him.

"Police girl! Get out of here!" He barked harshly.

Seras froze, not at his words but at the dazzling beam shooting from the glowing glyphs on the walls. Galvanized to the spot, she could only watch as in a split second it sliced through her middle.

The young vampire cried out, shocked at the brilliant pain unlike any other she had ever felt. Still clutching the ammo clip she fell onto her knees, her blood cascading down her front and pooling on the floor.

Willing herself to ignore the pain, she reached out, attempting to gather her strength to throw him the bullets. With a slight tug, the clip flew out of her fingers and into his waiting gun. Without any hesitation he fired several rounds into the monster's head.

Seras' vision wavered as the freak turned invisible, just his eyes and the strange marks on his body remaining. Her blood rushed in her ears as she watched in horror as the bullets were expelled from him, and into her Master. As if in a dream she noticed someone was screaming, as the elder vampire seemed to melt to the ground she realized it was her.

"Master!"

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Blood dripped down her face from a combination of pain and grief as she dragged her injured body the few meters that separated. It seemed like miles to her screaming flesh.

"Master..." Seras sobbed as she finally reached him, the pain momentarily forgotten as she looked down at his pale face. His eyes opened, not really focusing on anything as he spoke to her.

"Police girl, I am your Master. You should have listened to me." He said in a voice not nearly as strong and sure as it should have been.

"Seras..." The word slipped from his lips in a sigh as his eyes closed again.

"No!" Her eyes sparkled with tears as his head began to sink into the viscous pool of his blood. With shaking hands she picked up his severed head, cradling it tenderly to her chest.

"...Master" She whispered softly, leaning over onto her side.

"Alucard, my Master." She could feel his life force, their mental link fading. Her finger tips touched his cheek, bringing her face close to his.

She wished she had kissed him, just once. She gently licked the blood from the corner of his mouth.

"Even if you drink Alucard's rotten blood now, you will never become a normal Nosferatu," Incognito taunted.

"You bastard," She snarled at him, red eyes shining with hatred.

"The blood in your body will all run out soon. You're already dead, so there is nothing for you to be scared of." But she already knew that, she knew she would wither away.

_'Get out of here Seras Victoria'_ He whispered weakly into her mind. But again she disobeyed him. She would never leave him. Seras closed her eyes, hoping they would never open again.

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"Seras…" A melodious voice tickled her ears. "Seras Victoria," the voice said more insistently. She recognized it from somewhere, Seras thought as she opened her eyes.

"Helena!?" She gasped; the intense eyes locked with hers were unmistakable. This was the first thing she noticed that was out of place, she obviously should _not _be talking to the recently deceased vampire girl.

The second and quite perplexing thing that was wrong was Helena's appearance. The young girl was…well a "girl" no longer; before Seras Victoria sat a young pale haired woman.

Helena smiled softly and sat down in front of her, arranging her skirt artfully on the sun warmed grass. This was another thing missing from the puzzle; where was she? Seras' brain felt fuzzy, and she couldn't seem to remember what she had been doing.

"You shouldn't be here Seras," The other vampire said staring fixedly at her.

"Where is here?" Seras asked, desperately trying to grasp at the threads of memories that seemed to be slipping away. The bright sun felt so good on her face, she just wanted to curl up and rest on the grass.

"Seras…" Helena shook her head sadly, "One day you can join me and the rest of your comrades here, but not today." The now much older Helena's eyes flicked over across the clearing to a copse of trees to where a shadowed figure lay sleeping against a giant oak tree.

Seras' eyes followed, the silhouette looked somehow familiar.

"Daddy?" The word slipped out in a hushed whisper.

"Seras!" Helena said firmly, drawing her gaze back to her. "This is not real, you can't come here yet. Your Master still needs you. You promised me you would be a good servant to him."

"Master!" Seras gasped, as if the elder vampire had previously escaped her thoughts. That was right! She had promised to stay by his side no matter what. Even if…She cast one more longing look over at the trees before nodding to the young woman in front of her.

"Yes I-I wish I could stay…But I know I can't." The young blonde shook her head, trying to clear the fuzziness out of her brain. Her vision was starting to swim, and she could hardly keep her eyes open.

"I'm always with you Seras, we all are." Helena leaned forward, brushing aside Seras' messy strawberry locks and leaning forward to press a feather light kiss on her forehead.

'_See you again.' _The voice echoed in Seras' mind as she laid her head on the young woman's lap, and quickly slipped back into inky blackness.

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Seras stirred. It had suddenly gotten warm… so warm. Her eyes fluttered before opening, half remembered visions of sunny fields slipping away as her eyes slowly focused.

"My…Master?" he was alive and standing before her, smirking wickedly.

"Yet another beautiful moon tonight." His laughter echoed off the stone walls of the tower as he slowly faded away, his grin last to go as if he was the Cheshire cat.

Seras smiled softly, rubbing the tears from her face vigorously.

"He's not human," she whispered. But then, she had always known he was more than one could even fathom.

Her Master.

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The battle was over, and he had won. His powers were truly terrifying. Seras just smiled, she was so proud of her Master. But still, her heart was bursting alternately with both happiness and regret.

On one hand, the Hellsing organization was in shambles. Most every soldier she had known, and the many she had never gotten the chance to know were dead. Fargasson and Helena were gone, Walter in the hospital, and Sir Integra was a personal "guest" of the Queen's prison.

Her thoughts flicked once again to her brief exchange with the older woman at the tower.

"Where is Alucard?" A visibly pale and weakened Integra had asked Seras outside the tower. Seras smiled softly, her arms resting lightly on the Hellsing heir's shoulders to help steady her.

"He will win! No matter what, my Master... will win!" Seras said, eyes shining with exuberance as she watched the spectacular display atop the tower unfold.

For a moment they stood in silence, Integra looking between the fight and Seras.

"Are you in love with him?" The older woman asked evenly. Seras made a small choking sound and looked at her with shock, was it so obvious?

"I-I don't know." She finally answered, honestly not knowing what to call this emotion. Admiration, quite obviously, affection, undoubtedly, but was this strange heavy warmth in her heart love? Never having experienced such feelings, Seras could only assume if it wasn't, it was close.

"Do you...?" The young vampire asked meekly the question that had plagued her for weeks.

Integra raised an eyebrow and looked at Seras like she had gone quite mad, but didn't say anything for several seconds.

"I....respect him. But I don't think a human could ever truly love..." She trailed off, glancing back at the display above the tower as she gingerly touched her neck wound.

"A monster?" Seras finished for her, silencing the woman's protests with a shake of her head. Silently they watched until the fight was ended, and Integra turned herself into the Queen's men; her duty to see the evil here silenced finished.

Seras had slipped into the shadows, easily avoiding the police, and had made her way back here to where she found herself now, at the entrance to her room. She pushed open the heavy wooden door, her mind still mulling over the thought. She was a monster; she accepted that even if she wasn't the same kind as the freaks they killed, she was a creature of the darkness none the less. And her Master...was the only one who would ever truly understand that.

Seras sighed as she entered her room. It was going to be hell rebuilding Hellsing. But these days she felt she could do anything. Maybe even start being truthful with herself for once.

She sat down at the table with a wince. It was much better, but her stomach was still paining her. Still... she felt curious warmth with the realization that she had helped her Master.

'_Police girl.' _She heard his voice inside her head before he appeared next to her.

"Master!" She cried, visibly startled.

"Humph," he gave her tattered, bloody clothing a once over before handing her two bags of chilled blood.

"Hungry?" He asked with a fangy smile.

She suddenly realized she was ravenous. Seras snatched up one of the bags, sinking her fangs in and drinking deeply. Regenerating was thirsty business.

"Good girl, drink up." He said lightly with a teasing tone. He was back in his normal clothing and looked none worse for wear. Nothing seemed to faze him, even dying.

Seras was grateful for the blood. Walter normally brought it to her, but he was in the hospital. She smiled at Alucard, starting on the second bag, the sweet red liquid infusing her sore limbs with new life.

"Police girl," he started, sitting his lanky frame in the chair next to her. "Why did you disobey me?" he asked, looking at her over his glasses.

The strawberry-blonde headed vampire sat the empty blood bag down, at a loss for words. Did he mean coming to help him in the first place; or refusing to leave his side? She had a feeling he was speaking of the latter.

She looked down at her lap, letting her hair cover her blush-tinged cheeks, not quite sure herself. How did she explain that she couldn't imagine being without him now? How she would gladly die...

"Master, I could never...." she trailed off. The young vampire knew she couldn't have just left him, no matter what happened to her.

"Police girl...." he purred deeply, suddenly out of his chair and standing beside her. His fingers lightly caressed the delicate skin of her neck and the tiny silvery scars his mark and the paladin's blade had left.

The blood was quickly going to her head, she felt so weak and light headed at his nearness. His fingers slid under her chin, gently forcing her to look at him. For the first time she realized his hands were ungloved.

"I'm waiting, Seras Victoria." She nearly trembled as a ripple of heat went through her.

"M...master," her eyes were wet with unshed tears, but she couldn't seem to voice the words she wanted to say. The words that just a few moments before, when she thought she had lost him, she would have given anything to have the chance to say.

Despite her inability to speak, her moist eyes told him most of what he wanted to know. His burning red eyes flicked to her mouth, where a smear of blood lingered from her feeding.

"Hmm, you're a messy eater, Police girl." He was so close, she could feel his breath. Seras closed her eyes as his tongue snaked out and removed the blood, but then whimpered as he quickly pulled away.

"I couldn't go on.... If you weren't with me," she finally answered. The heady sensations of him being still so close and his gentle touch made her head spin, and her body tingled from being teased with his musky sent and slight warmth seeping into her. She wasn't sure if it was her imagination or the back feed from their link, but it seemed whenever he was pleased she could always tell. Just having him near her seemed to spark a warmth inside of her, almost like her heart was beating once again.

"I'm with you, now tell me what you want," his dangerously low tone made her shiver.

"P-please," she tried to force herself to speak, but her tongue seemed to have turned to lead in her mouth. He gave her a fangy grin, making it clear she would have to say it.

'_Master!' _she thought desperately, '_I need you!' _He grinned became even more feral, his eyes seeming to glow from within. Part of her hated him when he was aloof like this, but his mystery was also one of his greatest charms. But whatever his faults (many and glaring as they were) she could never actually seem to recall them when he was this near.

"What do you need from me?" he asked teasingly, making her remember how easily he could see inside her mind. That thought finally made her snap, realizing he likely already knew.

"Master, for God's sake just kiss me already!" Seras finally burst out, she couldn't take this anymore and she was ready to claw his eyes out if he teased her anymore.

With that finally said he swooped down on her like a silent shadow, kissing her with a greater softness one would think the elder vampire capable of. Finally kissing him, she lost another piece of herself to him. As much as she loved this gentle meshing of lips, she had waited too long for this! Roughly she grabbed the lapels of his coat, and dragged him down to claim his mouth in the hot passionate kiss her body ached for, knocking his hat and glasses off in the process.

Alucard was so surprised by his little fledgling's aggression; he nearly fell on top of her. As her tongue swept through his mouth, his hands slid down her back to firmly cup her behind. He pulled her against him, making her wrap her legs around his waist as he carried her over to her bed.

If she wanted to play rough, then so they would. He dropped her on the mattress with a slight bounce; she stared up at him, eyes glazed with lust as he crawled over her like a predatory cat.

Seras licked her passion reddened lips before tugging him down for another kiss. This time he savaged her mouth, his tongue exploring and caressing every inch and corner. Their bodies intertwined as the Nosferatu ground down into her. When they broke apart she was panting as if she had been running. Seras squirmed briefly, then gasped and moaned as his lips dipped down to one ear and began to explore it. She had never noticed her ears being especially sensitive before, but now the nerves there were screaming with excitement, making her almost mindless.

She suddenly became quite desperate to divest him of some of his clothing. She slid off his blood red overcoat, and untied his cravat before starting to work on the long row of buttons on his suit. Seras fumbled with them, as Alucard distracted her, running his fingers up her thighs, and nipping at her ears and neck.

Finally parting his jacket, she nearly screamed when faced with an even smaller row of tiny white buttons on his immaculate dress shirt. Seras growled, and after the first few buttons roughly ripped it apart, the little disks pinging off the stone floor. He grinned maniacally, his already inflated ego boosted by her impatience.

"All good things, Seras," he whispered. His voice was thick with desire, it made her insides quiver.

Her fingers hungrily ran over his firm chest, taking in his lean muscles and smooth white skin. As her fingers trailed lower, and teased the soft black hair trailing down from his bellybutton, he stopped her; grabbing her hands, he placed them over her head and pinned them there.

"My turn," Was all he said, as quickly, and one handed no less, he made short work of her blood stained blouse.

"Mmm very nice," he murmured, his hand cupping one perfect satin clad breast. She whimpered and squirmed against him, his slight teasing making her nipple pebble under his skilled fingers.

"M-Master! Please!" She gasped pleadingly, pressing more firmly against him.

At her slight struggling he let go of her hands, and effortlessly parted the brassiere with a slight rending of fabric. He growled, using both hands to cup the large beautiful orbs. It had been so long since he had... He was already straining against his trousers. The vampire shifted slightly, pressing his arousal against the cradle of her thighs. His fledgling let out a soft moan and bucked against him. He chuckled, as his long tongue flicked out to tease one perfect pink bud, before drawing it into his mouth and applying gentle suction.

"Ah, Master!" She arched, her fingers digging into his shoulders. Gods, she was on fire.

Alucard absently kicked off his boots, before trailing his hands down her stocking clad legs, taking them with him. When her boots were off, he slowly made his way back up. He nipped lightly at her breasts once more before pulling away, leaving them damp and cold in the open air. She was watching him, crimson eyes flaming with desire. God she was breathtaking was all he could think.

His fingers slid around to her behind again, and quickly found the zipper. He grinned fangily as he tugged her skirt down over her hips; she merely arched up so he could slide it down her legs.

Their eyes never broke contact; watching him undress her had to be one of the most erotic things Seras had ever experienced.

His nimble fingers danced over her inner thighs while his tongue slid provocatively over her stomach; his touches erased any thoughts she might have had as she arched instinctively. He made sure to also pay extra attention to the quickly mending wound on her abdomen; the one she had so gladly taken for him.

Finally his hand found its way to her panty-clad crotch, his fingers teased her through the moist cotton, before roughly ripping away the tiny scrap of cloth, and divesting her of her last barrier; well...almost her last

Seras could only whimper her fingers now clutched into the linens as he parted the folds of her delicate flower. She was so wet, he immediately thought; but he would more than gladly assist her with her current need.

His eyes were now fixed there when he shifted backward a bit on the coffin-bed, dropped to his stomach, urged her legs further apart, and suddenly lowered his face between her thighs.

Seras held the breath she no longer had to take, as his tongue lashed against her. She gasped and nearly bucked right off the bed; her body went tense, arching upwards as he did things she had hardly imagined anymore doing, much less to her.

Her fingers dug harshly into the bed. Never had she imagined anything could feel quite so wonderful....

Finally he drew back and sat back on his knees, watching the instinctual erratic rise and fall of her glorious chest. Seras slowly opened her eyes, and dazed smile lighting her face. She was never as lovely as right at this moment.

She shakily sat up, her body still weak and quivering. The young vampire's arms found their way around his neck, as she draped herself against him. Seras let herself just enjoy the moment, and in a way this simple embrace was more intimate than anything else they had shared.

Seras' lips found their way to his again. For a few moments it was just the soft meshing of lips, and the gentle pressing of their bodies against each other. Then with the simple caressing of tongues, they were once more caught up in the heat of passion.

The blonde vampire's fingers slid between them, making their way down to the rather impressive bulge that was pressing against her. His deep growl was captured in her mouth. His fangs carefully grazed her lips as she tentatively explored him thru the overly confining cloth. Deciding it was not the smartest thing to tease him with his fangs near such delicate skin, her fingers shakily started to undo his belt. She made short work of it, tossing it in the general direction of the growing pile of clothes.

Seras then realized his pants were a rather intricate button fly design, how fitting of her old fashioned Master. She made a small whining noise in the back of her throat, before Alucard stilled her hands and undid them himself. It wouldn't do to ruin two pieces of clothing in one night.

The fledgling vampire smiled shyly, remembering her earlier impatience, as he helped her remove both his trousers, and she was pleased to see, black silk boxers. She had always known he was a boxer man.

There he sat in front of her in all his naked glory. Seras stared at him for a few moments. This was the first time she had really seen a naked man. This was so very different from the back-seat fumbling of youth.

Her fingers glided over his velvety skin a few times, before he laid her back on the bed. Again his lips ravished her skin, her lips, ear, neck and breasts all received meticulous care as he worked to bring her back to the passionate inferno she had been at before.

Consumed by the sensations nearly overwhelming her, Seras wasn't really aware of his moving until he was on top of her. Her arms moved automatically around his neck, her mouth pressing against the salty skin of his shoulder as she felt him nudge against her still slick, aching flesh.

'_Forgive me.'_ He whispered into her mind, in what would be the first and likely last apology she would ever hear him utter. Then all of a sudden he was surging into her with an abrupt thrust that crossed the last barrier between him. She was now his, body and soul.

Freezing fully inside of her Alucard dropped his head to her chest as they both lay still as granite for a moment. Then he lifted his head and peered at her cautiously. '_Are you all right Police girl? Relax and the pain will leave in a moment,' _he told her as he shifted slightly, testing their fit as he shook his head slightly.

"Yes," she breathed, shifting carefully to wrap her legs around his hips in an effort to ease the discomfort she was feeling. She realized how carefully he was treating her, but it still hurt.

She whimpered softly, squirming slightly around him. He gasped and dug his fist into the pillow. Pleasure seized the whole of him, violent and intense.

He moved with all the gentleness he was capable of and then some. Her breath caught, and he captured her surprised "oh" in another long kiss.

The driving pleasure of the kiss sent her into a deep swoon, the searing pain melting into shimmering shivers. She twisted, and a hot slap of fire rewarded the movement.

"Seras," he could only say her name. The pleasure spilled into his drugged senses. Never had he felt less control nor needed more. All the force of his will went into assessing her lovely face. "Police girl, am I still hurting you?"

She managed to shake her head. It was so hot and wonderful. "A-Alucard," she felt so feverish, so..."Kiss me..."

He did and it was heaven, or as close as a monster like him could ever be. She lost her consciousness on the shimmering sea as he carried her higher and higher. Her movements silently voicing her need for more. He was infinitely more than happy to oblige.

As their tongues hungrily dueled, he escalated their dance, her body starting to accept and to crave him. Her nails dug into his shoulder, the exquisite bite of pain only enhancing his pleasure. He tore his mouth away from hers, nipping at her shoulder and collar bone in retribution.

Seras gasped, her eyelashes fluttering as she tried to match his rhythm.

As she screamed her release, her muscles fingers clinging to him, and after a few more moments so did he to join her. With a feral growl, he sunk his fangs into her neck, her heavenly sweet blood flooding his senses and making his head spin.

She trembled, the combined pleasure of her climax, and her Master's bite extending the exquisite feeling. With a groan he released her neck and collapsed on top of her. Seras whimpered in contentment, and nuzzled against his shoulder. This was more than she could ever have dreamed of.

"Master..." she whispered breathlessly. They shared a kiss, basking in the after glow. She could taste her blood on his lips. This didn't bother her. It was almost romantic in a way. They had both given and taken. But of course, he had more of hers than he could imagine. In that moment as she lay there with him, she could swear she felt the beating of her heart for just an instant before she slid into exhaustion.

Alucard sighed, again for the umpteenth time that night he was glad he had taken her in. His sweet little fledgling would be a source of a type of pleasure he hadn't partaken in, in a long time for many years to come.

He almost lovingly laved the wound on her neck, making Seras quiver around him. Yes, he grinned, a fine choice indeed. But as old of a being as he was, he was not one to launch into flowery declarations of love at the first chance. No, perhaps those would come in time. After all, he thought with a contented sigh, they had eternity together.

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Phew, sorry that took so long to get out. I had immense trouble writing it. I tried to make it as perfect as I could, while staying fairly in character. It may seem like Alucard is a tad OOC, but frankly it's hard to picture him in any romantic scenario. I just couldn't see an "old-world gentleman" (yeah right) like Alucard doing anything but being gentle with her, her first time. I liked the way this wrapped up, but I might (MIGHT) do a little sequel or something to it if enough people bug me.

Next up: Diary of a Police girl. A romantic (kind of) comedy Seras/???

Dec 3 – I finally got around to actually doing a slight rewrite of this chapter. Just a smoother paring of the lemon really.


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